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L  LiDnrin  I  CyT  ^-V11-  u 


WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 


YORKE   MEETS   AN   OLD   FRIEND. 


WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PEETOEIA 

A  TALE  OF 
THE  SOUTH  AFRICAN  WAR 


BY 

G.  A.  HENTY 

Author  of  "WithBuller  in  Natal"  "In  the  Irish  Brigade"  "For  Name 
and  Fame  "  "  With  Cochrane  the  Dauntless  "  &c. 


WITH  TWELVE  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY  WILLIAM  RAINEY.  RJ. 
AND  A  MAP 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
1901 


COPYRIGHT,  1901, 

BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Published  September,  1901 


;   CAXTON    PRESS 
NEW   YORK 


•?T=! 
4-185" 


PREFACE 


The  war  in  South  Africa  may  be  roughly  divided  into 
three  parts.  First,  The  desperate  fighting  in  Natal,  which 
culminated  in  the  relief  of  Ladysmith.  Second,  The  advance 
towards  Kimberley  begun  by  Lord  Methuen  but  arrested  at 
Magersfontein,  and  renewed  with  a  vastly  greater  force  by 
Lord  Eoberts  and  pushed  forward  to  Pretoria,  involving  the 
relief  of  Kimberley  and  the  capture  of  Cronje  at  Paardeberg, 
but  unmarked  by  any  resistance  comparable  with  that  ex- 
perienced by  Buller.  Third,  The  advance  to  Komati  Poort, 
the  breaking  down  of  all  organized  opposition,  and  the  de- 
generation of  the  war  into  isolated  efforts  by  guerilla  bands 
capable  of  annoyance  but  powerless  to  affect  the  issue.  The 
first  of  these  chapters  was  told  last  year  in  With  Buller  in 
Natal 

The  second  phase  of  the  struggle  did  not  afford  such  ex- 
amples of  warfare  on  a  large  scale  as  might  have  been 
anticipated.  The  operations  of  Lord  Methuen  for  the  relief 
of  Kimberley  were  brought  to  a  standstill  by  the  inadequacy 
of  the  comparatively  small  force  under  his  command  for 
the  task  of  breaking  down  the  opposition  of  the  Boer  army, 
holding,  like  that  before  Ladysmith,  a  position  of  immense 
natural  strength.  With  the  advance,  however,  of  the  army 
under  General  Eoberts,  resistance  on  a  large  scale  virtually 
collapsed. 

It  might  have  been  supposed  that  the  Boers  would  resist 
the  advance  upon  their  capital  as  sturdily  as  they  had 
opposed  the  relief  of  Ladysmith,  and  that  at  least  they 
would  fight  one  great  battle,  supported  by  the  forts  with 


vi  PREFACE 

which  they  had  surrounded  Pretoria.  It  turned  out  other- 
wise. Although  brave  and  tenacious  when  fighting  under 
the  cover  of  rocks,  the  Boers  had  not  the  heart  to  venture 
even  once  to  face  the  British  in  the  open,  and  were  turned 
out  of  one  after  another  of  their  carefully-prepared  positions 
without  making  any  determined  stand.  After  Cronje's 
force  had  been  captured  at  Paardeberg,  and  the  force  that 
had  advanced  to  his  assistance  driven  off  the  road  to  Bloem- 
fontein,  no  serious  opposition  was  offered  to  the  advance  to 
Pretoria. 

The  third  phase  was  marked  at  first  by  many  exciting 
incidents,  but  by  no  great  battle.  The  Boers  defended  some 
of  the  positions  taken  up  by  them  with  bravery  and  deter- 
mination, but  when  once  the  railway  to  Komati  Poort  had 
fallen  into  our  hands  the  war  degenerated  into  a  guerilla 
struggle.  It  was  a  war  of  raids,  sometimes  by  a  compara- 
tively strong  force  and  at  others  by  handfuls  of  plunderers; 
a  war  trying  and  fatiguing  in  the  extreme,  and  demanding 
extraordinary  endurance  on  the  part  of  our  troops,  but  of 
which  the  end  was  always  in  sight.  The  obstinacy  of  the 
Boers  had  only  the  effect  of  bringing  ruin  upon  their  own 
countrymen  and  women;  it  could  by  no  possibility  alter  the 
final  result. 

I  have  now  endeavoured  to  recount  the  leading  incidents 
in  the  second  phase  of  the  war,  and  although  events  have 
moved  so  rapidly  that  the  capture  of  Pretoria  is  already  an 
old  story,  I  may  hope  that  it  has  not  yet  lost  its  interest 
with  British  boys,  and  that  With  Roberts  to  Pretoria  will 
meet  with  as  favourable  a  reception  as  that  given  last  year 
to  its  companion  volume. 

G.  A.  HENTY. 


CONTENTS 


CHAP.  PAGE 

I.  A  CHANGE  OP  FORTUNE 1 

II.  ON  A  DUTCH  FARM 19 

III.  A  QUARREL §6 

IV.  THE  ULTIMATUM 58 

V.  SCOUTING  . 77 

VI.  THE  ADVANCE 95 

VII.  BBLMONT,  GRABPAN,  AND  THE  MODDER Ill 

VIII.  A  DANGEROUS  MISSION .132 

IX.    KlMBERLEY 151 

X.  AN  ESCAPE •    .        . . 170 

XI.  MAGERSFONTEIN 190 

XII.  A  PRISONER 211 

XIII.  FRIENDS 227 

XIV.  A  BAND  OP  SCOUNDRELS 244 

XV.  DOWN  COUNTRY 263 

XVI.  AN  OLD  ENEMY 281 

XVII.  THE  RELIEF  OP  KIMBERLEY 300 

XVIII.  PAARDEBERG 318 

XIX.  MAPEKING 337 

XX.  JOHANNESBURG 854 

XXI.  SETTLED 371 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

YORKE  MEETS  AN  OLD  FRIEND Frontispiece 

YORKE  PROVES  HIS  METTLE ,     .    42 

"THE  LITTLE  TOWN  WAS  CROWDED  WTTH  MEN" 82 

YORKE  SURPRISES  THK  MAJOR 102 

A  RACE  FOR  LIFE 148 

"  YORKE  GAVE  A  FULL  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BATTLES  "  ....  164 
"  A  STRONG  PARTY  OF  BOERS  WERE  SITTING  ROUND,  SOME 

SMOKING,  OTHERS  EATINC  THEIR  SUPPER  " 170 

"  IN  A  MINUTE  HE  SAW  THE  OUTLINES  OF  TWO  DARK  FIGURES  "  194 
''  YOU  ARE  MY  PRISONERS,"  YORKE  SAID  STERNLY  .....  254 
"  ONE  OF  THE  BOERS  THEY  HAD  SPOKEN  TO  SAUNTERED  IN  "  .  278 

CRONJE  RIDES  OUT  TO  SURRENDER 322 

YORKE  RECEIVES  A  DESPATCH  FROM  BADEN  POWELL  .  .  350 


WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 


CHAPTER  I 
A  CHANGE  OF  FOBTUNE 

IT  was  a  sad  morning  at  the  Rectory   of  Waverfield,  in 
Somersetshire.    The  living  was  not  a  valuable  one,  but 
the  rector,  John  Harberton,  possessed  a  private  income 
derived  from  shares  in  a  bank  in  the  Midlands,  that 
had  hitherto  been  considered   a  stable  and  flourishing  in- 
stitution.   That  morning  one  of  the  first  items  in  the  paper 
that  met  his  eye  was:   "Failure  of  the   Birmingham  and 
Coventry   Banking    Company.     Reported   heavy   liabilities. 
Wide-spread  dismay." 

"  It  is  a  great  misfortune,  my  dear,"  the  rector  said,  after 
the  first  exclamations  of  surprise  and  lamentation  had  ceased. 
"  Still,  thank  God,  we  have  our  church  income  remaining ; 
that  cannot  be  touched,  and  we  are  more  fortunate  than  many 
others.  Naturally  it  will  make  a  great  difference  to  us,  but 
we  can  do  without  many  of  the  things  to  which  we  have  been 
hitherto  accustomed.  Of  course  we  must  sell  our  horses,  the 
brougham,  and  dog-cart,  and  content  ourselves  with  the  pony 
and  carriage.  Fortunately  the  girls  have  nearly  finished  their 
education,  and  it  has  been  already  arranged  that  our  good 
friend  here,  Miss  Millar,  should  leave  at  midsummer.  It  is 
a  comfort  to  think,  Miss  Millar,  that  our  misfortune  will  not 
affect  you." 

"Not  at  all,  sir/'  the  governess  said.     "I  have  already 
i 


2  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

arranged  with  the  lady,  to  whom  you  recommended  me,  to 
enter  her  service  at  the  end  of  the  summer  holidays;  but  I 
most  deeply  regret  that  such  a  misfortune  has  happened  to 
you,  and  had  the  girls  been  younger  I  would  gladly  have 
remained  to  finish  their  education,  without  there  being  any 
question  of  salary  between  us." 

"You  are  very  good,  Miss  Millar,  but  happily  the  matter 
has  already  been  arranged.  The  greatest  difficulty  will  be 
about  you,  Yorke.  I  am  afraid  that  there  will  be  no  possi- 
bility whatever  of  sending  you  back  to  Kugby." 

"  Don't  worry  about  me,  father,"  the  lad  said,  with  an  effort 
at  cheerfulness,  though  the  thought  of  leaving  the  school  he 
loved  was  a  painful  one  indeed.  "  I  shall  get  on  all  right 
somehow;  and  you  know  there  was  never  any  chance  of  my 
doing1  anything  brilliant.  Though  I  don't  say  that  I  shall  not 
be  sorry  to  leave  Eugby,  that  is  nothing  beside  your  having 
to  give  up  the  horses  and  carriage  and  all  sorts  of  other 
things." 

"  It  will,  of  course,  make  a  wide  difference  to  us,  Yorke," 
his  father  said  gravely;  "  but  this  must  be  faced  in  the  right 
spirit.  Our  lot  has  been  an  exceptionally  pleasant  one  up  to 
the  present  time,  and  I  hope  that  none  of  us  will  repine.  I 
shall  henceforth  be  as  other  clergymen  having  nothing  but 
my  stipend  to  depend  upon." 

"  But  will  nothing  be  saved  out  of  the  wreck,  John  ? "  Mrs. 
Harberton  asked. 

"  It  would  be  as  well  to  assume  at  once,  Annie  that  it 
will  be  all  lost ;  and  I  can  only  trust  that,  when  matters  are 
gone  into,  all  depositors  who  have  trusted  in  the  bank  will 
be  paid  in  full.  Fortunately  it  is  a  limited  concern,  and  the 
money  I  have  invested  elsewhere  will  be  sufficient  to  pay  the 
amount  uncalled-up  on  our  shares.  Had  it  been  otherwise, 
our  home  might  have  been  sold  up;  as  it  is,  we  shall  be  able 
to  keep  all  the  surroundings  to  which  we  are  accustomed.  I 
shall  at  once  give  notice  to  the  coachman  and  gardener.  The 
boy  must  be  kept  on,  He  can  look  after  the  pony,  and  do 


A  CHANGE  OF  FOETTJNE  3 

the  rough  work  in  the  garden  with  the  aid  of  a  man  hired 
for  a  day  occasionally.  One  of  the  maids  must,  of  course,  go. 
We  shall  see  how  well  we  can  manage,  and  I  hope  we  shall 
be  able  to  keep  on  the  other  two.  We  shall  have  to  practise 
many  little  economies.  Owing  to  the  fall  in  the  tithes  and 
the  value  of  the  glebe  land,  we  shall  not  be  able  to  reckon 
upon  more  than  £250  a  year  at  the  outside  from  the  living, 
and  the  interest  upon  a  few  hundred  pounds  that  may  remain 
after  the  shares  are  paid  up." 

The  calm  tone  in  which  the  rector  spoke  had  its  effect. 
His  wife  dried  her  eyes ;  the  girls,  who  had  looked  stunned  at 
the  blow  which  had  at  once  swept  away  three-fourths  of  their 
father's  income,  pressed  each  other's  hands  silently,  and  the 
elder  said  cheerfully:  "Yes,  father,  Bella  and  I  will  take 
charge  of  the  garden,  and  I  am  sure  that  we  shall  be  able  to 
make  our  own  dresses  after  a  little  practice,  and  we  can  make 
ourselves  useful  in  all  sorts  of  ways." 

"  That  is  the  right  spirit,  Lucy,"  her  father  said  approv- 
ingly. "  We  shall  all  be  called  upon  to  make  some  sacrifices, 
you  girls  not  least.  Although  doubtless,  you  will  have  less 
gaiety  than  you  before  looked  forward  to,  you  will  still  be> 
able  to  have  a  good  deal  of  society  in  a  quiet  way — more, 
probably,  than  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  daughters  of  most  in- 
cumbents with  slender  incomes;  and  as  we  are  intimate  with 
all  the  gentry  round,  I  am  sure  that  none  of  those  we  care 
about  knowing  will  turn  a  cold  shoulder  on  us  because  we 
have,  without  any  fault  of  our  own,  what  is  called  'come 
down  in  the  world.'  Those  who  like  us  for  ourselves  will 
continue  to  do  so;  those  who  only  cared  for  us  because  of 
our  garden  parties  and  dinners  can  be  very  well  dispensed 
with.  We  have  always  been  a  very  happy  family,  and,  if 
we  choose,  can  be  the  same  in  the  future.  As  to  Yorke,  I 
must  myself  take  charge  of  his  education  in  future." 

"  Thank  you,  father !  "  Yorke  said  quietly.  He  was  about 
to  say  something  more,  but  he  checked  himself. 

"  Of  course  we  must  give  up  the  idea  of  going  to  the  skat- 


4  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

ing  party  in  Sir  William  Morton's  park  to-morrow,"  Mrs. 
Harberton  said. 

"  I  see  no  reason  for  our  doing  so,"  the  rector  said  gently. 
"  We  can't  sell  our  horses  and  carriage  in  twenty-four  hours, 
and  I  should  certainly  prefer  to  go.  It  would  be  but  a  bad 
example  to  our  neighbours  if  it  were  seen  that  we  are  broken 
in  spirit  by  a  worldly  misfortune.  Many  of  them  know  that 
my  income  was  chiefly  drawn  from  the  bank.  I  am  always 
preaching  patience  and  contentment  to  our  congregation,  very 
many  of  whom  have  suffered  heavily  from  agricultural  dis- 
tress, and  what  I  preach  we  can  practise,  and  without  under- 
valuing the  advantages  of  money,  we  can  show  them  that  we 
have  no  idea  of  grieving  over  its  loss.  One  of  my  greatest 
regrets  is  that  in  future  we  shall  be  somewhat  stinted  in 
our  means  of  helping  our  neighbours." 

The  next  day,  accordingly,  the  rector,  his  wife,  and  daugh- 
ters drove  over  to  the  skating  party,  and  although  a  few  knew 
how  great  was  the  change  effected  in  their  circumstances  by 
the  crash  at  the  bank,  the  majority  believed  that  the  report 
that  the  greater  part,  if  not  the  whole,  of  the  rector's  private 
property  had  been  swept  away,  had  been  grossly  exaggerated, 
for  there  was  nothing  in  their  manner  or  appearance  to 
afford  any  indication  of  their  changed  position.  Yorke  said 
that  he  would  rather  stay  at  home,  and,  when  the  others, 
started,  went  to  the  stables,  and  patted  and  talked  to  the 
horses.  He  had  ridden  all  of  them;  for,  three  years  before, 
he  had  been  promoted  from  his  pony,  and  in  his  holidays  took 
long  rides  with  his  father.  He  had  learned  also  to  take  the 
horses  over  hurdles  erected  in  the  field  behind  the  house, 
and,  under  the  instruction  of  his  father's  coachman,  who  had 
once  been  a  stud  groom,  had  acquired  an  excellent  seat. 

"  And  what  are  you  going  to  do,  Master  Yorke  ? "  the  man 
asked,  for  he  had  already  heard  from  Mr.  Harberton  that 
circumstances  had  occurred  that  would  oblige  him  to  give  up 
his  carriage  and  horses,  but  that  he  would  try  to  find  him 
another  situation. 


A  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE  6 

"  I  am  not  going  back  to  school,  that  is  quite  settled.  Of 
course  it  is  a  beastly  nuisance,  but  it  can't  be  helped.  My 
father  says  that  he  intends  to  teach  me  himself;  but,  what 
with  parish  work,  and  one  thing  and  another,  I  know  it  would 
be  a  very  tiresome  job  for  him.  But  even  if  he  did,  I  don't 
see  that  it  would  be  of  any  great  use  to  me.  Of  course  I 
cannot  go  up  to  the  University  now;  I  am  not  altogether 
sorry  for  that,  for,  you  know,  my  father  always  wished  me  to 
go  into  the  church,  and  although,  so  far,  I  have  said  nothing 
against  it,  I  don't  feel  that  I  am  in  any  way  cut  out  for  the 
job.  Anyhow,  I  don't  like  the  thought  of  being  a  drag  on  his 
hands,  for  after  I  had  done  with  work  with  him  there  would 
be  a  terrible  difficulty  about  getting  me  a  berth  of  some  kind. 

"  I  would  rather  do  anything1  in  the  world  than  be  a  clerk 
and  be  stuck  in  an  office  all  day.  That  is  the  worst  of  going 
to  a  public  school,  you  get  to  hate  the  idea  of  an  indoor  life. 
I  would  rather  a  hundred  times  go  to  sea  or  enlist  in  the 
army,  when  I  am  old  enough;  at  any  rate  in  the  army  I 
should  see  something  of  the  world  and  keep  myself,  and  at 
the  end  of  my  five  years'  service  might  find  some  opening. 
Then  there  is  my  father's  cousin  out  at  the  Cape.  When  he 
was  here  last  year,  I  know  he  offered  to  take  me  out  with 
him.  Of  course  father  would  not  hear  of  it  then,  there  was 
no  reason  why  he  should;  but  things  have  changed,  and  I 
don't  see  why  I  should  not  go  now.  I  am  getting  on  for  six- 
teen, you  know,  and  can  ride  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  and 
I  shot  regularly  last  winter,  and  brought  down  some  par- 
tridges too." 

"  Not  many,  master,"  the  man  said  with  a  grin. 

"  No,  not  many,"  the  boy  admitted ;  "  still,  it  was  my  first 
year,  and  I  had  only  a  single  barrel ;  father  himself  said  I  did 
very  fairly,  and  that  he  had  no  doubt  that  I  should  make  a 
good  shot  in  time." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  would,  Master  Yorke,"  the  man 
said  heartily.  "  You  have  learned  to  ride  well,  and  a  man 
with  a  good  seat  on  a  horse  is  generally  good  behind  a  gun." 


6  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Yorke  Harberton  was,  as  he  said,  nearly  sixteen,  and 
was  a  typical  public-school  boy — straight  and  clean-limbed, 
free  from  all  awkwardness,  bright  in  expression,  and  pos- 
sessed of  a  large  amount  of  self-possession,  or,  as  he  himself 
would  have  called  it,  "cheek;"  was  a  little  particular  about 
the  set  of  his  Eton  jacket  and  trousers  and  the  appearance  of 
his  boots ;  as  hard  as  nails  and  almost  tireless ;  a  good 
specimen  of  the  class  by  which  Britain  has  been  built  up, 
her  colonies  formed,  and  her  battle-fields  won — a  class  in 
point  of  energy,  fearlessness,  the  spirit  of  adventure,  and 
a  readiness  to  face  and  overcome  all  difficulties,  unmatched 
in  the  world.  His  thoughts  were  turned  into  a  fresh  channel 
by  his  conversation  with  William,  and  he  strolled  away  with 
his  hands  deep  in  his  pockets  and  his  mind  busy. 

"  Well,  Yorke,  what  have  you  been  doing  with  yourself  ? " 
was  his  father's  first  question  when  he  returned. 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  have  been  doing  anything,  father." 

"Which  does  not  mean  that  you  have  been  in  mischief, 
I  hope?" 

"  No,"  the  boy  laughed,  "  I  haven't.  I  went  to  the  stables 
first,  and  since  then  I  have  been  walking  about  the  garden." 

"  That  is  quite  a  new  amusement,  Yorke,  especially  in 
winter,"  one  of  his  sisters  said  in  a  tone  of  astonishment. 
"  Fancy  you  walking  round  and  round  the  g'arden !  Wonders 
will  never  cease !  " 

"  Well,  it  is  quite  as  sensible,  anyhow,  Lucy,  as  tearing 
about  the  grass  playing  lawn  tennis  on  a  hot  summer's  day." 

Like  most  boys  of  that  age,  Yorke,  though  very  fond  of 
his  sisters,  regarded  them  as  mere  girls,  and  especially  ob- 
jected to  being  in  any  way,  as  he  considered,  patronized  by 
them. 

"  But  you  know,  my  dear,"  his  mother  said  gently,  "  it  is 
not  often  you  do  walk  about  the  garden  by  yourself,  so  it 
was  natural  that  Lucy  should  be  surprised." 

"  Quite  natural,  mother,"  Yorke  admitted  frankly.  "  Well, 
I  have  been  thinking  over  something." 


A  CHANGE  OF  FOKTUNE  7 

"  And  what  conclusion  have  you  arrived  at,  Yorke  ? "  his 
father  asked. 

The  boy  hesitated.  "I  will  tell  you  after  breakfast  to- 
morrow," he  said,  "  it  is  too  long  to  talk  about  now."  Then 
he  asked  questions  about  the  afternoon  they  had  spent,  and 
the  subject  was  not  alluded  to  before  him  until  the  next 
morning,  although  he  was  the  chief  topic  of  conversation  be- 
tween his  father  and  mother  that  night. 

*  The  boy  has  something  in  his  head,"  Mr.  Harberton  said. 
"  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  very  unfortunate  business 
affects  him  more  seriously  than  the  rest  of  us.  To  us  it 
means  a  quieter  life,  less  gaiety,  and  a  little  pinching;  to 
him  it  means  a  great  deal  more — it  is  a  change  in  his  whole 
prospects,  a  change  in  his  career.  I  think  that  would  have 
come  anyhow;  Yorke  has  never  said  that  he  disliked  the 
thought  of  going  into  the  church,  but  the  mere  fact  that  it 
was  a  topic  he  always  avoided  is  quite  sufficient  to  show  that 
his  heart  was  not  in  it.  I  should  in  no  case  have  exercised 
any  strong  influence  in  the  matter,  for  unless  a  man  feels  he 
has  a  call  to  the  vocation  it  is  better  that  he  should  not  enter 
it.  Now,  I  should  be  still  more  unwilling  to  put  any  pressure 
whatever  upon  him.  Certainly  I  shall  not  be  able  to  afford 
to  send  him  to  college,  unless  he  could  gain  an  open  scholar- 
ship that  would  go  far  towards  paying  his  expenses.  But  of 
that  I  see  no  prospect  whatever. 

"  Yorke  is  no  fool,  but  he  has  no  great  application,  and 
his  school  reports  show  that,  although  not  at  the  bottom 
of  his  form,  he  is  never  more  than  half-way  up.  If  viewed 
merely  as  a  worldly  profession,  the  church  is  now  the  worst 
that  a  young  man  can  enter.  The  value  of  the  livings  has 
long  been  falling  off,  owing  to  the  drop  in  value  of  tithes 
and  land.  The  number  of  curates  is  immensely  larger  than 
that  of  livings,  and  the  chance  of  preferment,  unless  through 
powerful  patronage,  is  but  slight.  In  other  professions  a 
man's  value  is  in  proportion  to  his  age.  In  the  church  it 
is  otherwise.  No  incumbent  likes  having  a  curate  older  than 


8  WITH  ROBERTS  T6  PRETORIA 

himself,  and  a  man  of  fifty  will  obtain  less  pay  than  one 
of  five-and- twenty ;  and  I  see  no  prospect  whatever  of  any 
improvement.  While  some  classes  have  become  more  wealthy, 
the  landed  gentry,  who  may  be  considered  the  best  supporters 
of  the  church,  have  become  poorer,  owing  in  part  to  the 
fall  in  the  value  of  land,  and  to  the  very  heavy  death  and 
succession  duties.  It  would  need  much  national  effort  to 
make  any  real  improvement  in  our  condition,  and  I  see  no 
hope  of  such  a  national  effort  being  made.  I  should  not  be 
greatly  surprised  if,  as  a  result  of  his  cogitations  to-day, 
Yorke  tells  me  to-morrow  that  he  has  made  up  his  mind  to 
give  up  all  idea  of  entering  the  church." 

"  I  should  be  sorry,"  Mrs.  Harberton  said  almost  tearfully; 
"  I  have  so  looked  forward  to  it." 

"  I  doubt  whether  he  would  have  gone  in  any  circum- 
stances," her  husband  said,  "  and  I  certainly  should  not  have 
urged  him  to  do  so  had  he  expressed  any  reluctance.  It  is 
in  my  opinion  the  highest  and  noblest  career  that  man  can 
adopt,  but  it  must  be  only  taken  up  with  the  highest  motives. 
Yorke  is  a  good  lad,  but  neither  studious  nor  serious  in  his 
disposition.  Possibly,  had  I  kept  him  at  home  and  had  a 
tutor  for  him,  he  would  willingly  have  fallen  in  with  our 
jhopes  and  wishes ;  but  it  was  on  that  very  account  that  I  sent 
him  to  a  public  school.  There  is  nothing  more  unfortunate 
than  that  a  man  should  too  late  discover  that  he  has  mis- 
taken his  avocation.  As  it  is,  his  decision,  if  it  is  his 
decision,  has  been  quickened  by  this  crash.  The  path  to  the 
church  is  no  longer  easy  for  him,  and  I  fancy  that  while  we 
were  away  to-day  he  has  been  laying  his  own  plans  for  the 
future." 

"  He  is  so  young  to  have  any  plans  at  all,  John." 

"  He  is  nearly  sixteen,"  the  rector  said  decidedly,  "  and 
a  public-school  boy  of  that  age  has  learned  to  think  more  for 
himself,  and  to  be  more  independent,  than  one  two  years 
older  who  has  always  been  kept  at  home,  or  perhaps  educated 
with  two  or  three  others  by  a  clergyman.  I  have  always 


A  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE  9 

taught  him  to  be  self-reliant,  have  let  him  ride  my  horses, 
and  generally  act  on  his  own  devices.  As  long  as  I  was  in 
a  position  to  maintain  and  advance  him  in  any  career  he 
might  choose,  I  had  a  right  to  a  very  considerable  influence 
over  him.  I  still  retain  the  right  to  advise  and  to  warn;  but 
I  should  no  longer  oppose  his  wishes,  providing  that  these 
were  not  altogether  impracticable." 

"  You  would  not  let  him  go  to  sea,  surely  ? "  his  wife  said. 
"  All  boys  seem  to  want  to  go  to  sea." 

"I  should  certainly  be  sorry  if  he  set  his  mind  on  that. 
He  is  too  old  for  the  Eoyal  Navy,  but  I  could  afford  to 
pay  the  usual  premium  required  for  his  entry  as  an  appren- 
tice, as  it  is  called,  in  a  good  firm  of  ship-owners.  I  should 
be  sorry,  because  we  should  see  him  so  seldom;  otherwise, 
personally,  I  have  no  objection  to  the  life.  I  had  a  younger 
brother  in  the  merchant  service.  He  died  a  few  months 
before  I  married  you.  But  his  death  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  sea  service;  he  liked  it  very  much,  and  never  re- 
gretted having  entered  it.  However,  we  can  wait  till  we 
know  what  Yorke  says  in  the  morning." 

When  breakfast  was  over,  the  rector  said:  "Now,  Yorke, 
come  into  my  study  and  we  will  have  a  grand  council.  Now, 
sit  down  comfortably,"  he  went  on,  "  and  tell  me  exactly  what 
you  have  been  thinking  of.  It  is  only  natural  that  you  should 
have  considered  seriously  the  changes  that  this  unfortunate 
affair  has  necessitated,  and  as  you  have  plenty  of  common 
sense,  we  will  gladly  hear  your  views  about  it." 

"  It  is  evident  that  I  cannot  go  back  to  Rugby,  father." 

"I  fear  that  is  the  case,  Yorke.  I  don't  see  how  it  could 
be  done.  I  shall  have  but  a  very  small  balance  left  after  pay- 
ing the  calls  that  will  be  made  upon  me,  and  I  must  set  apart 
a  portion  of  my  income  to  insure  my  life  for  the  benefit  of 
your  mother  and  sisters,  in  case  I  should  be  called  away.  At 
the  same  time  that  need  not  necessarily  deter  you  from  carry- 
ing out  your  plan  of  entering  the  church.  I  took  a  second 
class  at  Oxford,  and  could  work  with  you  at  home  and  push 


10  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

you  forward,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  our  bishop  would 
ordain  you  when  the  time  arrived." 

"Thank  you,  father,"  Yorke  said  quietly,  "but  the  more 
I  think  of  it  the  less  willing  I  am  to  enter  the  church.  I 
don't  think  that  I  am  fit  for  it,  and  I  am  sure  that  I  should 
never  make  a  good  clergyman.  I  cannot  fancy  myself  work- 
ing for  years,  perhaps,  among  the  poor  in  some  manufactory 
town.  I  meant  to  tell  you  so  before  long  in  any  case.  I  am 
sorry,  because  I  know  that  you  and  the  mater  have  always 
wished  it." 

"  That  is  so,  but  I  should  not  press  you,  Yorke,"  his  father 
said.  "  In  the  church,  above  all  other  careers,  a  worker  must 
be  a  willing  worker,  and  his  heart  must  be  in  it.  If  it  is 
not,  he  is  far  better  out  of  it.  You  have  not  surprised  me 
at  all.  And  now  let  us  consider  that  settled.  I  suppose  you 
have  been  thinking  of  something  else  ? " 

"I  have  been  thinking  of  all  sorts  of  things,  father.  I 
thought  about  going  to  sea,  but  I  am  not  sure  that  I  should 
like  it.  Besides,  I  want  to  get  on ;  I  want  to  be  a  help  instead 
of  a  burden — not,  of  course,  at  first,  but  in  something  where 
there  is  a  chance  of  making  one's  way,  and  in  case — in  case — 
You  know  what  I  mean,  father? — I  might  be  able  to  pro- 
vide a  home  for  the  mater  and  the  girls." 

"  Quite  right,  Yorke,"  his  father  said  encouragingly.  "  Of 
course  you  are  very  young  yet,  and  I  am,  so  far  as  I  know, 
a  strong  and  healthy  man.  Still,  life  is  always  uncertain,  and 
even  if  I  am  spared  for  many  years,  it  is  hardly  likely  that 
I  shall  be  able  to  make  any  great  provision  for  them. 
Certainly,  I  shall  not  be  able  to  afford  to  insure  my  life  for 
any  adequate  sum  for  their  comfortable  maintenance.  I  shall 
do  my  best.  Still,  I  am  in  hopes  that  in  the  meanwhile  your 
sisters  will  be  married  and  provided  for.  Well,  what  were 
you  thinking  of,  Yorke?" 

"I  was  thinking  that  as  my  cousin,  Herbert  Allnutt, 
offered  last  year  to  take  me  back  to  the  Cape  with  him  for  a 
year  or  two,  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  go  out  there.  If  I 


A  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE  11 

were  to  stay  with  him  for  a  couple  of  years,  I  should  have  got 
to  know  the  country.  You  see,  as  he  has  been  out  there  for 
so  long,  he  must  have  lots  of  friends,  and  he  would  be  able 
to  give  me  plenty  of  introductions.  He  is  near  the  railway 
from  Cape  Town,  and  he  must  know  people  up  in  the  mining 
district,  so  I  might  get  a  good  berth  through  him.  What  sort 
of  post,  of  course,  I  cannot  guess;  but  from  what  one  hears, 
a  young  fellow  who  is  steady,  and  so  on,  is  sure  to  make  his 
way.  Of  course  I  should  never  think  of  settling  down  to 
farming,  as  he  has  done,  but  there  must  be  plenty  of  other 
openings.  Out  there,  at  any  rate,  I  shall  be  able  to  earn 
my  own  living  to  start  with,  which  is  more  than  I  could  do 
here,  and  I  would  a  thousand  times  rather  lead  that  sort  of 
life  than  take  a  place  as  a  clerk." 

Mr.  Harberton  was  silent  for  a  minute  or  two. 

"  The  greatest  objection  I  see  to  it,"  he  said  at  last,  "  is 
that  the  state  of  things  there  is  very  unsettled.  Ever  since 
the  Jameson  raid,  matters  seem  to  have  been  getting  worse. 
That  expedition  was  a  very  unfortunate  one.  It  was  ill- 
advised  and  premature,  but  it  was  the  outcome  of  great 
wrong.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Europeans  in  the  Trans- 
vaal are  abominably  treated  by  the  Boers.  Still,  now  that 
Chamberlain  has  taken  up  the  matter,  something  must  be 
done,  and  no  doubt  when  the  white  colonists  are  placed  on 
the  same  footing  as  the  Boers,  matters  in  the  Transvaal  will 
be  greatly  improved.  Your  cousin  was  saying  that  there  are 
gold-fields  yet  untouched,  because  the  amount  of  extortion 
on  the  part  of  the  Boer  people,  the  necessity  for  large  bribes, 
the  tremendous  taxation,  and  the  cost  of  powder  and  other 
matters,  which  are  the  subject  of  monopolies,  are  so  great, 
that  all  fresh  industries  are  stopped,  and  the  existing  ones 
crippled.  When  these  are  abolished,  as  they  must  be  sooner 
or  later,  there  will  be  an  immense  impetus  to  business. 

"It  may  be  two  or  three  years  before  matters  are  placed 
upon  a  proper  footing,  and  by  the  time  you  are  old  enough 
to  avail  yourself  of  such  chances,  things  may  have  settled 


12  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

down,  and  there  will  be  a  rush  of  immigration.  I  do  not 
know  much  about  these  matters,  but  I  believe  that  steady 
and  energetic  young  men,  acquainted  with  the  country,  will 
have  great  opportunities.  From  what  your  cousin  said,  the 
Boers  have  for  years  been  quietly  building  fortifications 
and  collecting  arms;  but  I  can  hardly  think  they  will  be 
mad  enough  to  defy  the  demands  of  England  for  the  fair 
treatment  of  the  class  they  call  Uitlanders,  especially  as  the 
latter  were  guaranteed  all  rights  of  equality  by  the  last  treaty. 
Well,  I  will  think  it  over,  Yorke.  It  is  quite  a  new  idea  to 
me,  but  at  the  first  blush  I  am  not  inclined  to  reject  it. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  a  young  fellow,  fairly  well  edu- 
cated, energetic,  and  above  all,  steady  and  well-conducted,  has 
a  far  greater  chance  of  making  his  way  in  South  Africa  than 
he  would  have  in  older,  or  at  least  more  established,  colonies. 
It  would  be  a  great  advantage  to  you  to  have  two  or  three 
years'  experience  there  before  you  set  out  for  yourself,  and 
the  benefit  of  Allnutt's  introductions  would,  no  doubt,  be 
considerable." 

A  week  passed  before  the  subject  was  resumed.  Yorke  felt 
almost  like  a  culprit.  His  mother  and  sisters  had  evidently 
been  told  about  his  project,  and  went  about  the  house  with 
faces  far  more  gloomy  than  those  they  had  shown  when  they 
first  heard  of  the  bank  failure.  Yorke  felt  that  the  girls,  at 
any  rate,  highly  disapproved  of  his  plan,  and  kept  out  of 
their  way  as  much  as  possible.  At  last  he  was  called  again 
into  the  study,  and  on  this  occasion  his  mother  was  also 
present. 

"  We  have  talked  this  matter  over  very  seriously,  Yorke," 
his  father  began,  "  and  although  at  first  your  mother  was  very 
much  against  the  idea,  she  has  come  to  see  that  it  is  probably 
the  best  that  could  be  done  under  the  circumstances.  She 
acknowledges  that  she  would  be  less  anxious  about  you  than 
if  you  were  at  sea.  She  sees,  also,  that  with  your  somewhat 
restless  disposition,  and  the  ideas  with  which  you  have  been 
brought  up,  you  would  really  never  be  happy  in  a  Londoa 


A  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE  13 

office,  even  if  we  could  obtain  a  berth  there  for  you.  In  that 
way  I  have  no  influence  whatever;  besides,  you  are  two  or 
three  years  too  young  for  it.  We  have  therefore  agreed,  that, 
at  any  rate  for  that  time,  you  could  not  do  better  than  be 
acquiring  experience  in  South  Africa.  By  the  time  you  are 
eighteen  you  will  be  better  able  to  estimate  your  chance  of 
getting  on  there. 

"  You  will  then  have  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  world, 
so  that,  should  you  decide  to  come  home,  no  harm  will  have 
been  done,  for  you  will  not  be  too  old  to  make  a  fresh  start 
in  some  other  direction.  I  am  sure  your  cousin  will  be  glad 
to  see  you,  his  invitation  was  a  very  hearty  one.  I  hope  you 
may  remain  with  him  ^or  some  time;  but  should  you  not  do 
so,  I  have  no  doubt  Lc  will  make  comfortable  arrangements 
for  you  elsewhere.  I  say  this  because  I  am  sure,  that  though 
personally  he  would  in  all  ways  do  his  best  to  make  you 
happy,  I  do  not  think  he  is  a  very  strong  man,  and  I  fancy, 
from  words  that  he  let  drop,  that  his  wife  is  the  head  of  the 
partnership.  She  is  a  Dutch  woman,  and  her  family  are, 
as  he  told  me,  among  the  leaders  of  what  is  called  the 
Africander  party.  What  their  wishes  and  intentions  may  be 
I  really  don't  know,  for  I  have  scarcely  given  a  thought  to  the 
matter,  and  seldom  read  the  Cape  news.  However,  I  know 
that  they  hold  that  the  Dutch  party  ought  to  be  predominant 
at  the  Cape.  However,  this  need  not  affect  you,  and  certainly 
you  could  have  no  occasion  to  take  any  interest  in  the  politics 
of  the  Cape  for  some  years  to  come. 

"  Well,  my  boy,  it  is  a  very  grave  step  to  take ;  but  I  own 
that  it  does  appear  to  me  the  best  that  is  open  to  you,  and 
should  it  turn  out  otherwise,  you  will  have  plenty  of  time  to 
remedy  it.  I  shall  pay  fifty  pounds  into  a  bank  at  the  Cape 
in  your  name,  so  that  if  at  any  time  you  decide  that  you  have 
made  a  mistake,  you  can  take  your  passage  home  again,  and 
you  will  certainly  be  none  the  worse  for  having  spent  a  year 
or  two  out  there." 

"  Thank  you  both  heartily,  father.    I  hope  I  sha'n't  come 


14  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

back  like  a  bad  penny.  I  feel  sure  that  the  life  will  just  suit 
me;  and  when  I  have  once  learned  to  make  myself  useful  on 
a  farm  I  shall  have  no  difficulty  in  getting  employment  else- 
where, if,  as  I  hope  will  not  be  the  case,  I  do  not  get  on  well 
with  Mr.  Allnutt's  wife." 

"Your  father  says  the  climate  is  very  good,  Yorke,"  Mrs. 
Harberton  said  tearfully.  "  It  seems  to  me  a  terrible  thing 
for  a  boy  like  you  to  go  out  there  alone;  but  going  to  a 
relation  is  not  like  going  among  strangers,  and  I  know  you 
liked  Mr.  Allnutt  when  he  was  here." 

"  Yes,  I  thought  him  very  jolly,  and  I  am  sure  I  shall  get 
on  capitally  with  him.  Of  course  I  had  no  fancy  for  going 
out  when  he  spoke  to  me,  because  things  were  different;  but  I 
thought  of  it  at  once  when  I  began  to  wonder  what  would 
be  the  best  thing  for  me  to  do." 

"I  should  have  liked  you  to  stay  at  home  for  a  time, 
Yorke,"  his  mother  said,  with  a  quiver  in  her  voice,  "  but 
your  father  is  of  opinion  that  as  you  are  to  go,  the  sooner  you 
go  the  better." 

"I  think  so,  mother.  The  horses  will  be  sold  next  week, 
and  I  should  only  be  idling  about  the  house  and  doing  no 
good;  and  it  would  be  just  as  painful  saying  good-bye  three 
months  hence  as  it  is  now." 

"  Yes,  and  we  should  be  looking  forward  to  it  all  the  time. 
Besides,  we  want  you  to  see  if  you  like  the  business,  and 
whether  you  think  that  you  will  be  able  to  get  on ;  and  if  you 
don't,  we  want  you  back  again  in  time  for  anything  that  may 
turn  up.  Therefore,  in  all  respects,  the  sooner  you  go  the 
better.  I  don't  suppose  there  will  be  much  trouble  about  your 
outfit.  You  will  want  two  or  three  suits  of  rough,  strong 
material,  coats  made  like  shooting- jackets,  with  big  pockets, 
also  flannel  shirts  and  a  good  supply  of  stout  boots  and  strong 
stockings  coming  up  to  the  knees.  You  had  better  have  your 
trousers  made  knickerbocker  fashion,  and  get  a  couple  of 
pairs  of  soft  leather  gaiters. 

"  I  will  get  you  a  double-barrel  small-bore  gun,  they  are 


A  CHANGE  OF  FOBTUNE  15 

coming  into  fashion  now;  and  though  I  would  rather  have  a 
twelve-bore,  they  say  the  smaller  ones  make  very  good  shoot- 
ing, and  they  are  a  good  deal  lighter  to  carry.  It  will  be 
time  enough  for  you  to  think  of  getting  a  rifle  in  a  couple  of 
years,  if  you  decide  to  stay  there.  Besides,  as  everyone  seems 
to  use  rifles  out  there,  and  no  doubt  you  will  practise  at  a 
mark — Mr.  Allnutt  will  lend  you  one.  We  will  drive  over  to 
Yeovil  this  afternoon  and  get  you  measured  for  the  clothes. 
Mother  will  go  with  us  to  see  about  the  shirts,  and  so  on.  To- 
morrow I  will  write  to  Donald  Currie's  people  and  secure  a 
second-class  berth  for  you.  The  more  occupied  we  are  the 
less  time  there  will  be  for  fretting.  I  shall  lose  no  time  in 
writing  to  your  head-master  stating  why  I  am  obliged  to  take 
you  away.  I  dare  say  you  will  have  letters  to  write  to  your 
chums." 

From  that  moment  all  was  busy.  In  spite  of  the  assurances 
that  the  Cape  was  a  warm  climate,  the  girls  applied  them- 
selves to  knitting  comforters  and  mittens.  There  was  a 
general  overhauling  of  Yorke's  clothes,  as  white  shirts  and 
English  clothes  would  probably  be  required  on  Sundays. 

"We  shall  not  get  you  any  more  things  of  this  sort,"  his 
father  said.  "  It  is  of  no  use  your  carrying  about  more 
clothes  than  you  want,  and  it  is  likely  that  you  will  outgrow 
those  you  have  before  you  wear  them  out.  I  shall  give  you  a 
letter  to  post  to  Mr.  Allnutt  as  soon  as  you  land,  and  then 
you  can  stop  two  days  at  Cape  Town  before  starting,  and 
won't  come  upon  him  altogether  by  surprise.  I  hope  you  will 
get  on  well  with  his  wife — there  is  no  fear  of  your  getting  a 
hearty  welcome  from  him — but  I  shall  tell  him  that  if,  after 
you  have  been  with  him  a  short  time,  he  finds  that  his  wife 
is  not  pleased  with  the  arrangement,  as  his  cordial  invitation 
was  given  without  consultation  with  her,  he  should  take  you 
to  some  nice  people — English,  of  course — where  the  work  you 
might  do  in  the  first  place  would  be  considered  an  equivalent 
for  your  board — for,  naturally,  whether  you  stay  with  him  or 
anyone  else,  you  will  have  to  work." 


16  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

"Certainly,  father;  that  is  what  I  am  going  out  for.  If  T 
wasn't  to  work,  I  might  as  well  stop  here  and  idle  my  time 
away  as  at  the  Cape.  I  suppose  one  of  the  first  things  to 
do  will  be  to  learn  Dutch  and  something  of  the  native  lan- 
guage, for  although  in  farming  one  might  be  able  to  get  on 
well  without  it,  one  would  certainly  want  it  if  one  were  going 
into  any  business  in  the  mining  regions.  I  will  get  a  Dutch 
grammar  if  I  can  before  I  start,  and  learn  as  many  words  as 
I  can  on  the  voyage." 

"  It  might  be  very  well  worth  your  while,  Yorke.  I  believe 
that  the  language  spoken  is  a  sort  of  dialect  they  call  taal. 
Still,  it  is  founded  upon  Dutch,  and  anything  that  you  can 
learn  of  it  would  help  you." 

"  Well,  I  shall  make  a  point  of  working  hard  at  it,  father. 
My  own  idea  is  to  go  up  to  Kimberley  or  Johannesburg,  when 
I  have  been  out  a  couple  of  years,  with  an  introduction  from 
Mr.  Allnutt  to  some  store-keeper  or  manager  of  mines  there, 
and  then  work  my  way  up.  Of  course  I  don't  expect  to 
make  much  money  for  a  time,  but  I  shall  certainly  lay  by 
every  penny  I  earn  over  and  above  keeping  myself." 

"Whatever  you  do,  don't  be  too  sanguine,  because  if  you 
do  you  will  assuredly  meet  with  severe  disappointment." 

"I  don't  mean  to,  father;  once  I  get  into  a  thing  that 
seems  likely  to  turn  out  well,  I  will  stick  to  it  patiently. 
There  is  one  comfort — I  have  read  that  out  in  the  colonies 
men  do  not  care  what  they  turn  their  hands  to ;  no  one  thinks 
the  worse  of  a  young  man  for  doing  any  honest  job,  so  that  he 
keeps  himself  straight.  I  mean  to  keep  myself  straight.  I 
am  determined  that  I  will  never  touch  liquor  of  any  kind 
unless  I  am  ill,  or  under  extraordinary  circumstances." 

"  You  could  not  make  a  better  resolution,  Yorke.  I  believe 
that  in  the  colonies,  even  more  than  here,  drink  is  the  bane  of 
too  many  young  men,  and  it  is  certainly  an  obstacle  to  suc- 
cess with  all.  I  know  your  cousin,  when  he  was  here,  said 
nineteen  out  of  twenty  of  the  young  fellows  who  go  to  the 
bad,  after  arriving  full  of  hope  and  energy,  owe  their  down- 

(M839) 


A  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE  17 

fall  solely  to  drink.  The  life  at  the  back  stations  is  lonely, 
there  is  an  entire  absence  of  amusement,  and  it  is  especially 
dull  of  an  evening.  The  temptation,  therefore,  to  take  drink 
to  cheer  up  the  spirits  is  strong,  and  when  he  has  once  yielded 
to  it  a  man  is  almost  sure  to  go  from,  bad  to  worse.  '  In  my 
experience,'  he  said,  'I  have  known  of  no  instance  where  a 
young  man  who  resisted  all  temptations  to  drink  was  a  com- 
plete failure.  He  may  suffer  very  heavily  from  droughts,  and 
have  misfortunes  over  which  he  has  no  control,  but  he  can 
keep  his  head  afloat  and  so  do  fairly  well  in  the  end.'  The 
native  spirit,  that  is  to  say,  the  Boer  spirit — Cape  smoke  it  is 
called — is  vile,  and  is  simply  liquid  poison.  However,  the 
Dutch  are  not  a  drunken  set,  and  do  not  very  often  drink  to 
excess;  perhaps  the  very  badness  of  the  liquor  keeps  them 
from  it.  That  being  the  case,  Yorke,  it  is  evident  that  you 
cannot  be  too  careful,  and  it  would  be  a  comfort  both  to  your 
mother  and  me  to  know  that  you  have  set  out  with  a  stern 
resolution  to  avoid  liquor — except,  of  course,  in  case  of  illness 
or  in  exceptional  circumstances,  such  as  a  long  journey  in  a 
pouring  rain,  when  a  small  amount  of  spirits  may  prevent 
bad  consequences.  But  Mr.  Allnutt  said  that  even  then  it 
was  more  effective  if  you  stripped,  poured  some  of  it  into 
your  hand,  and  thoroughly  rubbed  yourself  with  it." 

"  That  is  a  good  idea,  father,  and  I  will  try  it  under 
euch  circumstances." 

A  week  later,  after  a  tearful  parting  from  his  mother  and 
Bisters,  Yorke  went  up  to  town  accompanied  by  his  father, 
who  took  him  on  board  one  of  the  Castle  Line  steamers,  and 
remained  with  him  until  she  went  out  of  dock.  The  voyage 
was  altogether  uneventful.  There  were  several  young  fel- 
lows, sons  of  gentlemen,  going  out  in  the  second  class.  Yorke 
was  three  or  four  years  younger  than  any  of  them,  but  they 
all  took  to  him,  and  he  had  a  pleasant  time.  For  three  or 
four  hours  a  day  he  worked  steadily  at  Dutch,  and  received 
a  good  deal  of  assistance  in  the  pronunciation  from  a  Dutch 
gentleman  returning  home  from  a  visit,  who  took  an  interest 

(M839)  B 


18  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

in  the  boy  who  so  steadily  sat  apart  from  the  rest  and 
studied  his  language.  Yorke  also  made  the  acquaintance  of 
several  of  the  third-class  passengers,  miners,  carpenters,  and 
other  workers,  who  had  been  back  to  the  old  country  to  see 
their  friends,  and  from  them  he  learned  a  good  deal  more 
of  the  colony  than  he  had  hitherto  known. 

"I  don't  say  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  learn  Dutch," 
one  of  them  said  in  answer  to  a  question,  "  if  you  are 
going  into  a  store  or  mean  to  farm,  but  in  the  towns  it  is 
not  much  needed,  for  we  and  the  Dutch  don't  have  much  to 
do  with  each  other.  Very  few  of  them  are  engaged  at  the 
mines  or  even  in  the  stores.  They  treat  us  as  dirt  under 
their  feet.  But  the  general  idea  is  that  it  won't  be  very  long 
before  there  is  a  change.  England  is  a  long  while  making  up 
her  mind  to  see  us  righted,  but  she  will  do  so  some  day. 
When  she  does,  she  will  find  it  a  tougher  job  than  she  expects. 
For  the  past  four  or  five  years  they  have  been  importing 
arms  and  ammunition  of  every  sort.  No  one  can  understand 
out  there  why  England  does  not  put  a  stop  to  it.  She  will 
certainly  pay  heavily  for  it  in  the  future.  The  Boers  have  an 
idea  that  we  cannot  fight.  That  is  a  big  mistake,  you  know, 
but  with  such  a  great  country,  with  hills — big  hills,  too — 
and  passes,  and  that  sort  of  thing1,  the  Boers,  who  are  mostly 
good  shots,  will  be  able  to  make  a  desperate  resistance,  even  if 
it  is  only  the  Transvaal.  But  there  is  a  general  idea  that  the 
Orange  Free  State  will  join  them,  and  in  that  case  it  will  be 
a  big  job,  especially  as  there  are  Dutch  all  over  Cape  Colony, 
who  likely  enough  will  rise  also.  People  in  England  do  not 
seem  to  have  an  idea  what  a  big  place  South  Africa  is. 
Why,  it  is  as  big  as  England  and  Scotland  and  Ireland  and 
France  all  thrown  together,  and  you  can  count  your  miles 
by  the  thousand  instead  of  the  hundred.  All  these  fellows, 
too,  have  horses,  any  number  of  them,  and  men  marching  on 
foot  would  not  have  a  ghost  of  a  chance  of  catching  them.  I 
tell  you  it  will  be  a  big  business  if  it  ever  begins." 


ON  A  DUTCH  FARM  19 

CHAPTER  H 

ON  A  DUTCH  FARM 

THE  voyage  had  passed  so  pleasantly  that  Yorke  was 
quite  sorry  when  it  was  over.  The  acquaintances  he 
had  made  were  all  going  up-country,  a  few  to  farms  where 
they  had  friends,  but  the  greater  part  to  Kimberley  or  Johan- 
nesburg, where  they  thought  they  would  be  sure  to  find  some- 
thing to  turn  their  hands  to.  Three  or  four  were  going  on  to 
Durban,  having  friends  or  relatives  in  Natal.  On  landing 
Yorke  was  almost  bewildered  by  the  crowd  of  laughing,  shout- 
ing men,  for  the  most  part  blacks,  though  there  were  many 
whose  red  fezzes  showed  them  to  be  Mohammedans,  mostly 
Malays.  All  of  these  were  offering  to  carry  luggage,  or 
recommending  rival  hotels  or  boarding-houses.  Fortunately 
Yorke  had  arranged  with  one  of  his  friends  to  go  to  the 
same  hotel.  Pushing  their  way  through  the  throng,  they 
hired  a  vehicle  somewhat  resembling  a  hansom  in  appearance, 
and  bearing  in  large  letters  its  name,  "  Old  England,"  and 
were  driven  to  the  hotel  which  one  of  the  ship's  officers  had 
recommended  to  them. 

"  There  is  no  mistake  about  our  being  abroad,  Harberton," 
Howard,  Yorke's  companion,  laughed.  "  What  a  mixed 
crowd,  Kaffirs  and  Malays,  whitey-brown  mixtures,  Dutch- 
men and  British !  But  even  without  them,  the  vehicles  are  as 
un-English  as  possible.  They  are  certainly  ahead  of  us  in 
the  way  of  traction-engines;  that  fellow  dragging  two  wag- 
gons behind  it  is  the  third  we  have  seen.  The  tram-cars 
are  more  like  ours,  but  the  row  they  keep  up  with  those 
gongs  is  enough  to  frighten  any  well-conducted  horse.  Look 
at  that  funny  two-wheeled  vehicle  drawn  by  a  pair  of  horses. 
I  suppose  it  is  what  they  call  a  Cape  cart;  you  see  it  has  a 
hood.  I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  a  two-wheeled  trap  with 
two  horses  before.  Evidently  Dutch  is  the  language  here,  for 


20  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

even  the  Kaffirs  and  Malays  jabber  in  it.  I  rather  wish  now 
that  I  had  followed  your  example,  Harberton,  and  tried  to 
learn  enough  to  make  a  start  with.  It  makes  you  feel  like 
an  ass  if  you  can't  ask  for  the  simplest  thing  and  get  under- 
stood in  a  country  under  your  own  flag." 

After  reaching  the  hotel,  Yorke  made  enquiries  of  an 
English  clerk  as  to  the  hour  at  which  the  trains  for  Kim- 
berley  left.  He  found  there  were  only  two  a  day,  and  that 
the  morning  one  arrived  at  Brakpoort  Station,  his  destina- 
tion, a  distance  of  some  four  hundred  miles  from  Cape 
Town,  at  twelve  o'clock  on  the  following  day.  The  letter 
to  Mr.  Allnutt  had  been  left  open,  so  that  he  could  give 
that  gentleman  some  idea  of  when  he  might  be  expected. 
The  clerk  told  him  that  Brakpoort  was  a  comparatively 
small  place,  but  that  he  would  have  no  difficulty  in  hiring 
a  cart  there  to  drive  him  out  to  the  farm,  which  lay  eighteen 
miles  west,  being  about  midway  between  the  station  and  the 
town  of  Eichmond.  Yorke  now  added  a  line  or  two  indicat- 
ing the  time  at  which  he  would  arrive  at  Brakpoort,  closed 
the  letter,  and  went  out  and  posted  it. 

After  having  done  this  he  walked  about  for  a  time.  The 
town  impressed  him  favourably.  Some  of  the  old  Dutch 
houses  still  remained,  but  their  appearance  was  scarcely  pic- 
turesque. .Their  fronts  were  of  almost  unbroken  flatness,  and 
distinguished  only  by  their  superabundance  of  windows.  The 
shops  were  excellent,  and  far  superior  to  those  of  Yeovil. 
The  articles  were  all  European,  and  he  looked  in  vain  for 
anything  that  had  the  appearance  of  native  manufacture. 
If  he  had  found  any  small  distinctive  articles  he  would 
have  bought  them  to  send  home  to  his  mother  and  sisters. 
Howard,  who  was  going  up  to  Kimberley,  told  him  that 
evening  that,  instead  of  starting  as  he  had  intended  to  do  on 
the  following  morning,  he  would  wait  another  day. 

"It  will  be  pleasanter  for  us  both,"  he  said.  "It  is  slow 
work  travelling  with  half  a  dozen  fellows  whose  language 
one  does  not  understand,  and  I  know  the  Boers  are  not 


ON  A  DUTCH  FAEM  21 

inclined  to  be  civil.  While  you  were  out,  I  was  chatting  to  a 
man  who  had  just  come  down  from  Pretoria,  and  he  says  that 
everything  there  looked  very  gloomy.  Of  course  our  people 
have  had  their  hopes  raised  owing  to  the  fact  that  their  case 
has  been  taken  up  at  last  by  the  home  authorities.  They  are 
convinced  that  Kruger,  who,  by  all  accounts,  is  one  of  the 
most  obstinate  and  conceited  old  brutes  that  ever  lived,  will 
never  give  way  an  inch,  and  that,  in  fact,  he  will  fight  rather 
than  do  so.  Indeed,  they  believe  that  he  is  bent  on  forcing 
on  a  war;  and  the  Boers  say  openly  that  in  another  year  the 
Rooineks  will  have  to  go — Rooineks  means  English.  So  it 
will  be  much  more  pleasant  for  us  to  travel  together.  I  heard 
you  just  now  trying  to  talk  to  that  coffee-coloured  servant, 
and  I  saw  that  you  were  able  to  make  him  understand  a  little, 
so  if  we  want  to  ask  any  questions  about  stopping-places, 
and  so  on,  you  will  be  useful." 

"Dutch  seems  hard  when  you  first  look  at  it,"  Yorke  said, 
"  but  you  soon  see  that  most  of  the  words  are  really  very  like 
English,  though  they  are  spelt  differently.  One  of  my  books 
is  a  sort  of  conversation  book,  with  questions  and  answers 
on  useful  subjects,  such  as  you  are  likely  to  meet  with  when 
you  are  travelling,  when  you  are  at  a  hotel,  and  so  on.  Of 
course  they  put  a  '  J '  where  we  put  an  '  I/  and  it  puzzles 
one  at  first,  but  I  think  that  in  a  month  or  two  I  shall  begin 
to  get  on  fairly  well  with  it." 

"  Well,  if  what  they  say  is  true,  we  shall  have  a  lively  time 
of  it  before  long;  but  though  they  brag  a  great  deal,  I  can 
hardly  believe  they  will  be  mad  enough  to  go  to  war  with  us. 
If  they  do,  it  will  put  a  stop  to  business  for  a  time,  and,  as 
Kimberley  is  close  to  the  frontier,  we  shall  bear  the  brunt 
of  it." 

They  started  by  the  train  arranged,  carrying  with  them 
a  basket  of  provisions  for  the  journey,  having  been  warned 
that  this  was  absolutely  necessary,  as,  except  at  one  or  two 
of  the  stations,  there  was  nothing  whatever  to  be  had.  In  the 
old  waggon  days,  their  informant  had  told  them,  every 


22  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PBETOMA 

traveller  had  to  provide  himself  for  the  whole  journey,  and 
the  custom  had  become  so  general,  that  it  would  hardly  pay 
speculators  to  set  up  refreshment  places  except  at  the  princi- 
pal stations.  Even  these  could  only  rely  upon  the  custom  of 
Europeans,  as  the  Boers  are  far  too  parsimonious  to  think 
of  buying  provisions  when  they  can  carry  their  own  with 
them. 

They  went  to  the  station  early  so  as  to  secure  corner  seats. 
The  carriage  filled  up  at  starting,  but  several  left  at  the  sta- 
tions nearest  to  the  town,  and  after  travelling  for  a  couple 
of  hours,  only  four  remained  in  the  carriage  besides  them- 
selves. These  were  all  Dutch.  They  carried  on  a  very  ani- 
mated conversation  among  themselves. 

"  I  think  it  is  just  as  well  that  we  don't  understand  them," 
Yorke  said  quietly.  "  I  can  only  catch  a  few  words  here  and 
there,  but  I  am  sure  they  are  running  us  down.  I  don't  mean 
us,  but  the  English  in  general." 

"  Then  it  is  quite  as  well  we  don't  understand  them,  for  1 
certainly  should  not  sit  quiet  and  hear  them  abusing  us ;  and 
as  there  are  four  of  them,  all  big  fellows,  a  quarrel  might  have 
very  disagreeable  consequences.  I  was  warned  down  at  Cape 
Town  that  if  I  wished  to  live  in  peace  and  quiet  I  must  keep 
in  with  these  fellows ;  and  if  it  is  bad  here,  it  must  be  a  great 
deal  worse  for  our  people  up  in  the  Transvaal." 

The  journey  was  for  the  most  part  uninteresting;  but  there 
was  some  superb  scenery  at  the  Elex  River,  and  through  a 
series  of  grand  slopes  where  the  line  crosses  a  mountain 
range.  Sometimes  the  country  was  hilly,  but  it  was  bare  of 
trees;  farmhouses  were  sparsely  scattered  about;  the  vege- 
tation was  all  parched  up,  for  it  was  now  the  middle  of 
summer,  and  no  rain  had  fallen  for  a  considerable  time. 

"Unless  the  cattle  have  learnt  to  eat  sand,"  Torke  said 
with  a  laugh,  "I  don't  know  how  they  can  exist;  and 
yet  the  land  seemed  rich  enough  for  the  first  part  of  the  jour- 
ney." 

"  I  believe  it  is  very  rich  where  it  is  cultivated,  and  either 


ON  A  DUTCH  FARM  23 

wells  are  sunk,  or  dams  constructed  in  narrow  valleys  or  dips 
to  catch  the  water.  I  believe  the  vineyards  and  orchards 
lying  in  the  districts  north  of  the  Cape  are  extremely  rich, 
but  as  a  rule  the  Boer  farmers  are  too  ignorant  to  make 
improvements.  They  are  cattle-raisers  rather  than  farmers. 
The  British  settlers  are,  for  the  most  part,  men  of  insufficient 
capital.  Some  day,  no  doubt,  when  the  country  is  more 
thickly  settled,  and  there  are  better  markets,  there  will  be  a 
very  different  state  of  things.  I  have  no  doubt  that  artesian 
wells  would  furnish  an  abundant  supply  of  water  in  most 
places,  and  with  them  and  irrigation  and  the  planting  of 
trees,  it  will  be  a  splendid  country.  Where  there  are  plenty 
of  trees,  the  rainfall  always  increases;  and  what  is  of  almost 
equal  importance,  the  ground  round  them  retains  the  mois- 
ture, instead  of  the  rain  rushing  off  and  being  carried  down 
in  torrents  before  it  has  had  time  to  do  much  good.  How- 
ever, I  have  no  idea  of  farming;  but  I  am  sure  that  anyone 
with  capital  coming  out,  and  planting  a  few  hundred  acres 
of  trees  near  Kimberley,  would  make  a  bigger  fortune  than 
by  investing  in  mines." 

"  He  would  have  to  wait  a  long  time  for  his  money," 
Yorke  said. 

"  Yes,  but  he  could  raise  vegetables  between  the  young 
trees;  and  my  uncle,  whom  I  am  going  to,  says  that  vege- 
tables fetch  a  tremendous  price  at  Kimberley." 

After  a  weary  journey  of  twenty-eight  hours  they  arrived 
at  Brakpoort. 

"  Here  you  are,  Harberton !  " 

"  Well,  I  hope  we  shall  meet  again.  I  am  sure  to  come  up 
to  Kimberley,  sooner  or  later." 

"  If  you  do,  don't  forget  that  I  have  given  you  my  uncle's 
address,  and  you  are  sure  to  find  me  there,  or,  at  any  rate,  to 
find  out  where  I  am." 

It  was  but  a  small  wayside  station,  and  Yorke  felt  some- 
what desolate  after  he  had  shaken  hands  with  his  friend  and 
got  out  with  his  portmanteau  and  bag.  The  feeling  was 


24  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

speedily  dispelled,  for  hurrying  towards  him  he  saw  Mr. 
Allnutt. 

"  How  are  you,  Yorke,  my  boy  ? "  his  cousin  said,  as  he 
grasped  his  hand.  "  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  though  I  am  sorry 
to  hear  of  the  cause  that  has  sent  you  out  here.  I  only 
received  your  letter  this  morning1.  Luckily  I  had  sent  a 
Kaffir  over  yesterday  for  a  parcel.  I  started  ten  minutes 
after  I  got  it,  and  only  arrived  here  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
ago.  I  thought  that  you  might  have  some  difficulty  in 
getting  a  cart  to  carry  you  so  far.  We  shall  have  to  wait 
two  hours  to  give  the  horses  a  rest,  for  I  have  driven  fast, 
and  the  road — I  don't  suppose  you  would  call  it  a  road — is 
very  heavy." 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  come  over  to  meet  me,"  Yorke 
said,  much  affected  with  the  heartiness  of  the  reception.  "  I 
should  certainly  be  very  glad  of  a  drink,  for  it  was  so  terribly 
hot  yesterday  and  this  morning,  that,  though  we  thought  we 
had  laid  in  a  good  supply  of  water,  we  finished  it  all  at  our 
first  meal  this  morning." 

,  "Well,  we  shall  get  a  very  fair  lunch  at  this  store  here. 
These  stations  are  used,  you  see,  by  people  for  many  miles 
round.  Your  father  tells  me  that  you  are  all  well  at  home, 
but,  I  suppose,  greatly  upset  at  this  bad  business." 

"  No.  Of  course  it  will  make  a  lot  of  difference  to  us,  but 
I  think  they  troubled  more  about  my  coming  away  than  they 
did  about  the  loss  of  the  money." 

"Well,  lad,  a  year  or  two  of  our  rough  life  will  do  you 
good,  and  they  won't  know  you  when  you  go  back  to  them." 

"Is  Mrs.  Allnutt  quite  well,  sir?" 

"Yes,"  the  colonist  said,  "she  is  very  well,  Yorke;  she 
always  is  well."  But  the  lad  detected  a  change  in  the  tone 
in  which  he  spoke. 

"I  hope  it  wasn't  a  disagreeable  surprise  to  her,  sir,  my 
coming  so  suddenly  upon  you  ? " 

"No,  it  was  not.  She  was  surprised,  of  course,  but  I  am 
sure  that  she  will  make  you  comfortable.  My  wife  is  a  good 


ON  A  DUTCH  FARM  25 

woman,  a  very  good  woman;  but,  you  see,  she  is  Dutch,  and 
she  does  not  take  to  nev  ideas  suddenly.  I  have  no  doubt 
she  will  be  just  as  pleased  as  I  am  at  your  coming,  when  she 
gets  to  know  you,  and  will  feel  that,  having  no  children  of 
our  own,  you  will  be  a  great  acquisition,  and  brighten  us  up 
very  much.  There  is  one  thing  I  must  warn  you  about:  she 
is  prejudiced,  I  must  admit  that.  You  see,  almost  all  the 
people  round  us  are  Dutch,  and  of  late  there  has  been  what 
I  may  call  a  nasty  feeling  among  them.  There  is  an  associa- 
tion called  the  Africander  Bond,  and  its  object,  as  far  as  I 
can  see,  is  to  establish  the  supremacy  of  the  Dutch  in  Africa. 
It  is  doing  a  lot  of  harm.  Until  a  short  time  back,  the 
English  and  Dutch  got  on  very  well  together,  and  as  far  as 
supremacy  goes,  the  greater  part  of  the  members  of  the 
assembly  were  Dutch,  and  almost  all  the  officials.  We  did 
aot  mind  that.  No  doubt  the  colony  would  have  gone  ahead 
a  good  deal  faster  if  our  people  had  had  more  voice  in  affairs, 
for  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  Dutch  hate  changes  of  any 
kind,  and  would  like  the  world  to  stand  still.  A  Dutchman 
would  still  rather  travel  in  his  lumbering  waggon,  and  take 
a  week  over  it,  than  make  a  railway  journey  of  a  few  hours. 
That  gives  you  a  fair  sample  of  their  dislike  to  change.  Of 
course  I  am  accustomed  to  these  things,  and  keep  quiet  when 
my  neighbours  come  in  and  set  to  work  talking  over  affairs, 
and  discussing  the  possibility  of  a  great  Dutch  Republic  over 
the  whole  of  South  Africa.  It  does  not  worry  me.  I  know 
well  enough  that  England  will  never  let  them  have  it;  but  I 
don't  tell  them  so.  I  like  peace  and  quiet,  and  I  say  nothing; 
and  you  must  say  nothing,  Yorke.  That  is  the  one  thing  that 
I  have  to  impress  upon  you.  Never  argue  with  my  wife  on 
that  subject.  She  is  a  g'ood  woman,  but,  naturally  enough, 
being  Dutch,  she  thinks  as  her  countrymen  do.  That  is  the 
one  rock  ahead;  if  you  steer  clear  of  that,  we  shall  get  on 
capitally." 

By  this  time  they  were  seated  in  a  large  room  at  the  store 
eating  their  lunch,  while  a  Kaffir  boy  was  squatting  near  the 


26  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

four  horses,  which  were  munching  mealies.  Mr.  Allmitt  had 
come  out  a  young  man  to  the  Cape  thirty  years  before.  He 
was  of  an  easy  disposition,  and  did  not  succeed;  he  was 
therefore  glad  to  obtain  employment  on  the  farm  of  a  large 
Dutch  farmer.  The  latter  had  an  only  child,  a  daughter 
of  sixteen  years  old,  who,  before  the  good-looking  young 
Englishman  had  been  there  many  months,  fell  in  love  with 
him,  and  announced  to  her  father  her  intention  of  marrying 
him.  The  old  man  ravcC.  and  stormed,  shut  her  up  for  a 
time,  and  even  threatened  to  beat  her.  Finding  that  she 
was  still  obstinate,  he  sent  lier  for  two  years  to  a  school  in 
Cape  Town.  This  had  no  effect  whatever.  She  returned 
with  very  enlarged  ideas  as  to  the  decencies  of  living,  and 
wanted,  as  he  said,  to  turn  the  house  upside  down.  Finding 
it  impossible  to  bend  her  to  his  will,  he  gave  in.  She  had 
kept  up  a  correspondence  withAllnutt,  who  had,  of  course, 
been  discharged  r.s  soon  as  the  farmer  had  discovered  his 
daughter's  fancy  for  him. 

He  had  not  been  insensible  to  the  advantages  of  the  posi- 
tion. Her  father  owned  large  numbers  of  cattle  and  horses 
and  an  extensive  tract  of  land  watered  by  a  stream  that,  ex- 
cept at  very  dry  seasons,  was  always  full.  He  had  been 
working  at  a  farm  near  Colesberg,  and  on  the  receipt  of  a 
letter  from  her  announcing  that  her  father  was  willing  to 
sanction  the  match  he  at  once  returned  and  married  her.  A 
year  later  her  father  died,  to  Allnutt's  great  reKef,  and  hia 
wife  at  once  set  to  work  to  transmogrify  the  interior  of  the 
house,  and  to  equip  it  in  the  fashion  which  she  had  learnec 
to  value  at  the  Cape. 

The  great  stove  which  had  before  been  in  use  was  re- 
moved and  replaced  by  an  open  fire,  and  the  room  fitted  with 
carpets  and  English  furniture.  The  upstairs  rooms  were  simi- 
larly altered  and  furnished,  curtains  were  hung  at  all  the 
windows,  and  though  outside  the  house  retained  the  appear- 
ance of  an  ordinary  Boer  homestead,  the  interior  had  the 
appearance  of  the  house  of  a  well-to-do  British  colonist 


ON  A  DUTCH  FARM  27 

Once  a  year  Mrs.  Allnutt  and  her  husband  had  gone  down  to 
Cape  Town,  and  remained  there  for  a  month;  this  had  kept 
her  in  touch  with  civilization.  Out  of  doors  the  farm  was 
managed  entirely  by  her  husband,  but  inside  the  house  she 
was  absolute  mistress. 

After  giving  the  horses  an  hour's  rest,  Mr.  Allnutt  and 
Yorke  started  in  a  Cape  cart,  the  Kaffir  taking  the  reins, 
while  they  sat  on  the  seat  behind  him.  Mr.  Allnutt  chatted 
pleasantly  as  they  drove,  and  although  the  road  crossed  the 
veldt,  it  was  not  uninteresting. 

Yorke  was  surprised  when  the  farmer  pointed  to  a  house  on 
a  low  nek  between  two  hills  and  said,  "  That  is  my  place, 
Yorke.  It  is  two  miles  away  yet,  but  I  am  on  my  own 
ground  now.  Eoughly,  the  farm  contains  nearly  six  square 
miles  of  level  ground  and  two  of  hill ;  it  is  worth  a  good  deal 
more  than  when  I  took  it.  I  saw  that  if  it  had  water  it  would 
support  three  times  as  many  cattle  as  there  were  on  it,  and  I 
dammed  the  stream  up  in  the  hills  and  brought  water  down, 
and  have  irrigated  three  or  four  hundred  acres.  It  took  a  lot 
of  work,  but  Kaffir  labour  is  cheap.  I  cut  the  grass  twice 
and  make  hay  of  it;  six  months  in  the  year  I  let  the  cattle 
feed  on  it,  and  it  has  fully  answered  my  expectations,  and 
every  year  repays  me  all  the  expense  of  carrying  the  job  out. 
The  Dutch  farmers  around  come  here  and  admire,  and  envy 
the  green  pasture  when  their  own  is  burnt  up,  but  though 
they  see  the  advantage  well  enough,  there  is  not  one  of  them 
has  attempted  to  imitate  it." 

"  It  must  have  been  a  big  job  fencing  it  in,"  Yorke  said. 

"  Yes ;  I  could  not  do  that  the  first  year,  but  the  aloes  and 
prickly-pear  of  which  it  is  made  grow  very  quickly.  The 
farm  itself  is  enclosed  by  barbed-wire  fencing.  The  law 
obliges  every  settler  to  fence  his  land." 

As  they  drove  up  to  the  door  Mrs.  Allnutt  came  out.    Her 
two  years  at  Cape  Town  and  her  subsequent  visits  there  had 
prevented  her  from  falling  into  the  loose  and  slovenly  way  of  \ 
the  ordinary  Boer  farmer's  wife.     She  was  a  large  woman 


28  WITH  BOBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

and  somewhat  stout,  but  her  dress  was  neat  and  well-fitting. 
She  had  a  strong  but  not  unpleasant  face,  and  welcomed 
Yorke  with  more  geniality  than  he  expected. 

"  You  are  welcome,"  she  said.  "  It  is  a  long  journey  for 
you  to  have  made  alone.  Were  you  sent  out  here,  or  did  you 
come  at  your  own  wish  ? " 

"It  was  my  own  proposal,"  Yorke  replied.  "I  could  not 
remain  idle  at  home,  and  I  was  too  young  to  go  into  any 
business  there.  I  am  fond  of  outdoor  exercise,  and  as  Mr. 
Allnutt,  when  in  England,  had  kindly  invited  me  to  come 
over,  I  thought  it  would  be  best  for  me  to  accept  his  offer, 
and  to  learn  something  of  the  country  and  its  ways  before  I 
made  a  start  for  myself." 

"  You  were  quite  right,"  she  said.  "  Certainly  a  stay  here 
for  a  time  will  do  that  for  you.  But  come  in.  Of  course  you 
will  find  our  ways  a  little  strange  at  first,  but  you  look  sen- 
sible, and  I  have  no  doubt  you  will  soon  feel  at  home." 

After  what  Yorke  had  heard  of  the  mode  of  life  of  the 
Dutch  farmer,  he  was  surprised  to  find,  when  he  entered  the 
house,  an  air  of  English  comfort  pervading  it.  The  room 
prepared  for  him  was  such  as  he  would  meet  with  in  the  house 
of  a  well-to-do  farmer  in  England;  the  furniture  was  good 
and  substantial,  muslin  curtains  hung  at  the  windows.  Look- 
ing out,  he  saw  that  the  whole  back  of  the  house  was  covered 
with  roses  in  full  bloom,  and  that  there  was  a  small  but  pretty 
garden  behind;  round  this  was  a  large  orchard — apple,  pear, 
peach,  and  other  fruit  trees.  He  had  seen  nothing  like  this 
in  any  of  the  farmhouses  they  had  passed  on  the  road.  On 
returning  down-stairs,  after  indulging  in  a  good  wash,  he 
expressed  his  thanks  to  Mrs.  Allnutt  for  the  comfort  of  his 
bedroom,  and  his  admiration  for  the  gorgeous  show  of  roses  in 
the  garden. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  I  saw  the  gardens  of  many  of  the  Eng- 
lish mansions  round  Cape  Town,  and  I  made  up  my  mind  to 
have  something  like  them  here.  My  neighbours  at  first  all 
thought  it  a  terrible  waste  of  labour,  but  I  do  not  as  a  rule 


ON  A  DUTCH  FAEM  29 

care  much  for  other  folks'  opinions;  and  though  I  do  not 
pretend  to  like  your  people,  I  do  not  see  why  we  should  not 
adopt  their  customs  when  we  see  that  they  are  better  than  our 
own — especially  when  so  many  of  our  people  living1  near  Cape 
Town  have  taken  to  them." 

"Everything  looks  very  nice  and  comfortable,  Mrs.  All- 
nutt,  and  if  I  had  not  looked  out  of  the  window  I  should  not 
have  known  that  I  was  not  at  home." 

"  Can  you  ride  ? "  she  asked  abruptly ;  for  although  her 
residence  at  Cape  Town  had  taught  her  to  appreciate  the 
modes  of  life  there,  she  did  not  like  being  thought,  even  in 
such  a  matter,  to  copy  the  British,  and  chose  to  consider  that 
they  were  those  of  the  better  class  of  her  own  people — as, 
indeed,  was  the  case. 

"  Yes,  I  can  ride,"  Yorke  said.    "  I  am  very  fond  of  it." 

"  Can  you  shoot  ? " 

"  I  have  begun,"  he  said.  "  You  see,  I  have  been  at  school, 
and  it  is  only  during  the  winter  holidays  that  I  have  had  any 
chance,  and  just  the  last  fortninght  of  the  long  holiday  in 
summer." 

"  But  how  is  that  ? "  she  asked.  "  Why  do  you  not  shoot 
all  the  year  round  ? " 

"  Because  it  is  a  close  time  up  to  the  1st  of  September,  and 
there  is  not  much  shooting  after  January;  people  begin  to 
hunt  about  that  time." 

"  Yes,  game  is  protected  here  also." 

Yorke  had  told  his  cousin  that  he  had  begun  to  learn  Dutch, 
and  was  very  anxious  to  get  to  speak  the  language  well,  and 
on  the  latter  telling  his  wife,  she  nodded  approvingly. 

"  You  will  have  plenty  of  opportunities,  for  Dutch  is  the 
language  of  the  house.  Sometimes  I  speak  in  English  with 
my  husband,  because  I  wish  to  keep  it  up,  but  he  speaks  Dutch 
as  well  as  I  do.  But  as  the  Kaffirs  speak  our  language,  and 
do  not  understand  English,  it  is  much  more  convenient  to 
speak  that  language.  You  had  better  get  Hans,"  she  went  on, 
turning  to  her  husband,  "  to  go  about  with  him;  in  that  way 


30  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

he  will  soon  learn  to  speak  Taal.  He  is  very  little  use  to  me 
about  the  house ;  he  is  very  lazy,  and  if  it  wasn't  for  his  father 
having  been  killed  on  the  place,  I  would  not  keep  him  a  day." 

Hans  had  taken  the  horses  when  the  cart  drew  up.  He  was 
a  rough,  slouching  lad  of  about  Yorke's  age,  loosely  built,  and 
altogether  unkempt  and  slovenly;  his  father,  who  had  been 
Mr.  Allnutt's  head  cattleman,  had  been  thrown  from  his 
horse  and  pitched  on  his  head,  breaking  his  neck  instantly. 
Hans  Smidt,  who  was  ten  years  old  at  the  time,  having  no 
relations,  had  been  taken  on  at  the  house,  and  was  supposed 
to  aid  in  looking  after  the  horses  there,  watering  the  garden, 
and  doing  odd  jobs.  He  was  now  receiving  the  same  wages 
as  the  Kaffir  labourers,  although,  as  Mrs.  Allnutt  declared,  a 
Kaffir  boy  was  worth  a  dozen  of  him. 

For  the  next  few  days  Yorke  rode  about  the  farm  with  his 
cousin,  inspecting  the  herds  and  getting  a  general  idea  of  the 
place. 

"You  will  save  me  a  good  deal  of  trouble,  Yorke,"  his 
cousin,  who  objected  to  trouble  of  any  kind,  said.  "  You  can 
ride  down  twice  a  day  and  see  that  the  Kaffirs  are  doing  their 
work  and  preventing  the  cattle  from  straying  too  far  away. 
Beyond  that  you  can  amuse  yourself  as  you  like.  There  are 
a  dozen  young  horses  which  want  breaking  in.  I  see  you 
have  a  good  seat,  and  you  will,  no  doubt,  be  able  to  manage 
that.  There  is  no  shooting  about  here,  though  you  can  occa- 
sionally get  a  deer  among  the  hills.  Still,  it  is  just  as  well 
that  you  should  learn  to  use  a  rifle.  Every  man  in  this  coun- 
try is  a  fair  marksman,  and,  even  when  there  is  little  chance 
of  coming  upon  g'ame,  often  rides  with  his  rifle  slung  across 
his  back.  I  am  sure  you  would  not  like  to  be  beaten  by  any 
of  the  Dutch  lads.  They  are  not  such  good  shots  now  as  they 
used  to  be  when  game  was  plentiful,  and  of  course  shooting  is 
not  so  important  here  as  it  is  in  the  Transvaal,  where  every 
man  may  be  called  upon  at  any  moment  to  go  out  on  com- 
mando against  the  natives.  Still,  it  is  the  accomplishment 
on  which  Boers  pride  themselves,  and  you  may  find  it  useful 


ON  A  DUTCH  FABM  31 

if  you  stay  in  the  country.  For  if  one  is  to  believe  all  these 
Dutchmen  say,  there  is  likely  to  be  a  lot  of  trouble  out  here 
before  long." 

"Not  in  this  part,  I  suppose,  uncle," — for  so  Yorke  had 
taken  to  call  his  cousin.  "  I  know  there  may  be  a  row  in  the 
Transvaal,  but  surely  not  here  ? " 

"  I  don't  know,  Yorke.  If  it  begins  in  one  part,  there  is  no 
saying  how  it  will  spread.  I  believe  that  if  the  Transvaal 
begins  war,  the  Orange  Free  State  will  join.  They  have 
not  a  shadow  of  grievance.  They  are  wholly  independent  of 
us,  and  have  always  been  quiet  and  peaceful,  and  there  does 
not  seem  to  be  any  of  the  ill-feeling  against  the  English  that 
prevails  in  the  Transvaal.  Still,  there  is  never  any  saying; 
and  I  believe  that  Steyn,  their  president,  is  a  very  ambitious 
man.  This  Africander  Bond  is  doing  a  great  deal  of  mis- 
chief in  Cape  Colony,  and  although  the  Dutch  element  have 
it  pretty  nearly  their  own  way,  I  doubt  if  they  will  not  join 
the  Dutch  across  the  Orange  River  if  these  rise." 

"  But  what  is  it  they  really  want  ? "  Yorke  asked. 

"  They  want  to  be  masters  here  altogether.  They  see  the 
gold  mines  and  diamond  mines  prospering  enormously,  and 
they  think  that  if  they  could  drive  us  out,  all  this  wealth 
would  come  into  their  hands.  They  dream  of  one  great  Re- 
public, and  of  their  flag  waving  everywhere.  I  don't  say  that 
they  would  drive  the  English  out  altogether;  their  talents 
and  energy  would  be  useful  to  them,  and,  as  in  the  Transvaal, 
they  would  make  them  pay  all  the  taxes  of  the  country.  Kruger 
would,  of  course,  be  President  of  the  Republic,  but  he  is  an 
old  man,  and  Steyn  would  naturally  be  his  successor.  That 
is  why  he  may  be  expected  to  drag  the  Free  State  into  the 
matter  should  there  be  a  row." 

"But  they  can  hardly  think  that  England  would  consent 
to  let  them  go?" 

"  That  is  what  they  do  think,  Yorke.  Since  that  Majuba 
business,  and  the  fatal  surrender  afterwards,  they  despise  us 
altogether.  They  do  not  believe  for  a  moment  that  we  shall 


32  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

fight,  and  they  are  positive  that  if  we  should  venture  to  do  so, 
they  would  thrash  us  without  the  slightest  difficulty.  They 
have  accumulated  enormous  stores  of  rifles  and  artillery,  and 
believe  that,  as  they  licked  us  so  easily  when  they  were  unpro- 
vided with  these  things,  it  will  be  a  mere  walk  over  now. 
Kruger  will  keep  up  a  correspondence  with  Chamberlain  until 
everything  is  absolutely  ready,  then  he  will  break  off  negotia- 
tions, and  there  will  be  war — that  is,  if  England  is  bold 
enough  to  venture  upon  it.  That  is  the  Boer  idea  of  things, 
Yorke.  You  will  hear  it  openly  discussed  up  at  the  house. 
Even  in  the  farms  round  here  there  are  stores  of  ammunition 
hidden  away,  and  if  war  does  begin,  and  a  material  advantage 
is  gained,  you  will  see  the  whole  country  on  fire  from  Cape 
Town  to  Pretoria. 

"  Of  course,  there  are  many  of  the  Dutch  of  the  better  clasa 
who  would  far  rather  let  things  remain  as  they  are  at  present. 
They  have  no  ground  of  complaint  against  us;  they  are  free 
to  elect  their  own  representatives,  and  to  make  their  own 
laws;  the  British  authority  is  little  more  than  nominal,  and 
we  have  not  five  thousand  soldiers  in  this  colony  or  Natal.  It 
seems  to  me  that  the  peril  is  a  very  serious  one.  There  is 
nothing  to  prevent  twenty-five  thousand  Boers  marching  into 
Durban,  and  another  force  of  the  same  strength  capturing 
Cape  Town.  Each  force  would  be  swollen  as  it  went.  Every 
man  would  be  mounted;  they  would  be  armed  with  the  best 
rifles  that  money  could  purchase,  and  they  are  good  shots. 
They  would  need  no  transport,  for  they  would  seize  the  cattle 
of  the  British  colonists,  and  plunder  stores  as  they  went.  I 
ask  you,  what  could  five  thousand  infantry  do  against  such  a 
force?" 

"It  certainly  looks  bad,  uncle — much  worse  than  I 
thought." 

"  As  far  as  I  am  concerned,  Yorke,  it  would,  I  think,  make 
but  little  difference  to  us;  and  as  for  my  wife,  she  would 
hoist  their  flag  as  they  came  along,  and  probably  ride  herself 
to  welcome  them.  So  I  may  take  it  that  they  would  not  in- 


ON  A  DUTCH  FABM  33 

terfere  with  anything  here;  and  personally  I  should  be  no 
worse  off,  for  the  Assembly  at  Cape  Town  could  hardly  be 
more  Dutch  than  it  is  at  present.  The  only  change  that  I 
should  feel  would  be,  that  on  holidays  we  should  have  the 
Kepublican  flag  flying  on  the  flagstaff  instead  of  the  Union 
Jack,  which  would  be  a  bitter  pill  to  swallow." 

"But  the  British  colonists  would  join  the  troops,  surely?" 

"  The  British  colonists  are  neither  armed  nor  organized.  I 
have  no  doubt  that  many  of  the  younger  men  would  try  and 
make  their  way  down  to  Cape  Town,  and  join  any  force  that 
was  raised  there.  But  all  that  would  take  time;  and  even  if 
twenty  thousand  joined  here  and  in  Natal,  what  use  could 
they  be  against  an  insurrection  over  a  million  square  miles, 
with  a  great  nucleus  of  well-armed  men  ? " 

"Well,  uncle,  at  any  rate  I  will  steadily  practise  shooting; 
and  if,  as  seems  likely,  trouble  is  really  coming  on,  I  shall 
go  down  to  Cape  Town  and  try  to  get  into  a  new  corps  that 
is  being  raised." 

"Well,  Yorke,  I  shall  not  try  to  dissuade  you;  I  have  no 
legal  authority  over  you;  and  if  I  were  a  young  man,  that  is 
what  I  should  do  myself.  But  if  you  wish  for  any  peace  and 
quiet  here,  you  must  keep  your  intentions  to  yourself,  and, 
above  all,  hold  your  tongue  when  you  hear  treason  talked  up 
at  the  house.  My  wife  has  taken  to  you  much  better  than  I 
expected.  But  though  she,  from  having  been  at  school  at 
Cape  Town,  and  going  down  there  pretty  often,  and  reading 
a  good  deal,  has  much  better  ideas  of  the  power  of  England 
than  most  of  her  countrymen,  she  believes  that  England  will 
not  fight,  and  that  even  if  it  does,  it  will  soon  see  the  impos- 
sibility of  reconquering  such  a  tremendous  country  as  this. 
And  really,  I  cannot  disagree  with  her  after  what  we  saw  in 
the  last  war,  and  from  what  we  know  of  the  preparations  the 
Boers  have  made." 

"  I  think  she  is  wrong,  uncle.  I  don't  say  that  we  may  be 
able  to  reconquer  the  whole  of  South  Africa,  but  I  feel  sure 
that,  whatever  it  costs,  England  will  hold  the  Cape  and  Dur- 


34  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

ban  and  the  other  seaports,  for  they  are  of  immense  import- 
ance to  her." 

"  Let  us  say  no  more  about  it,  lad.  It  is  causing  me  a  deal 
of  trouble;  so  I  hold  my  tongue,  for  I  can't  afford  to  be  on 
bad  terms  with  all  the  neighbours,  and  in  constant  hot  water 
at  home.  There  is  any  amount  of  ammunition  in  the  house, 
so  you  can  practise  as  much  as  you  like,  and  there  are  plenty 
of  spots  among  the  hills  where  you  can  do  it  quietly,  and  so 
far  away  from  the  house  that  there  would  be  no  chance  of 
being  heard.  Of  course  you  could  occasionally  fire  near,  for 
it  would  seem  only  natural  to  my  wife  that  you  should  like  to 
learn  to  shoot  when  everyone  else  does.  This  will  be  the  last 
day  that  I  shall  ride  with  you;  but  always  take  Hans.  He 
may  look  like  a  fool,  but  I  don't  think  he  is  one.  He  is  slim, 
as  the  Dutch  say,  that  is,  he  is  crafty.  If  he  could  turn  his 
hand  to  anything,  he  would  have  to  do  a  good  deal  more  work 
than  at  present.  He  is  like  the  monkeys,  you  know.  They 
say  they  could  talk  well  enough  if  they  liked,  but  they  know 
that  if  they  did  they  would  be  compelled  to  work." 

Hans'  face  brightened  up  greatly  when  he  was  told  that  he 
was  freed  from  all  other  duties,  and  was  to  consider  himself 
entirely  at  Yorke's  disposal — a  young  Kaffir  being  at  once 
engaged  to  perform  the  work  he  had  previously  done — and 
henceforth  no  complaint  could  be  made  of  his  laziness. 
Whatever  the  hour  at  which  Yorke  wanted  to  start,  the  horses 
were  ready  for  him,  and  the  boys  were  often  out  on  the  veldt 
before  anyone  else  in  the  house  was  moving.  Yorke  threw 
himself  into  his  work  with  ardour,  for  it  suited  him  admir- 
ably. There  were  the  cattle  to  look  after,  and  sometimes  long 
rides  to  be  undertaken  in  search  of  animals  that  had  strayed. 
The  horses  gave  little  trouble.  A  few  bundles  of  freshly-cut 
grass  were  carried  to  them  every  morning,  and  with  the 
stream  handy  to  them  they  had  the  sense  to  know  that  they 
could  do  no  better  elsewhere.  Several  Kaffir  labourers  cut 
the  corn-cobs  and  carried  them  up  to  a  large  shed  near  the 


ON  A  DUTCH  FARM  35 

house,  while  the  stalks  and  leaves  were  piled  into  a  stack  for 
mixing  with  the  hay  in  the  winter. 

On  many  farms  all  this  was  burnt  as  fuel,  but  the  colonist 
had,  soon  after  he  became  master  of  the  farm,  planted  fifty 
acres  of  fir-trees  on  the  slopes  of  one  of  the  valleys,  and  the 
clearings  of  these  furnished  an  abundant  stock  of  firewood, 
and  indeed  added  materially  to  the  returns  of  the  farm  by 
the  sale  of  the  surplus  to  neighbours. 

Every  day  Yorke  practised  for  an  hour  with  the  rifle,  fir- 
ing, not  at  a  target,  which,  with  its  white  square,  resembles 
nothing  that  a  soldier  would  have  to  aim  at  in  a  battle,  but  at 
some  mark  on  a  stone  on  the  hillside,  or  a  block  of  wood  of 
the  size  of  a  man's  head,  half  hidden  in  a  tussock  of  coarse 
grass  on  the  veldt.  This  block  Hans  always  carried  with  him 
when  they  were  going  shooting.  Yorke  practised  judging 
distance  on  level  and  broken  ground,  both  from  the  saddle 
and  on  foot,  guessing  it  as  nearly  as  he  could,  and  then  step- 
ping it.  At  the  end  of  four  months  he  could  judge  vei'y 
closely  the  distance  of  any  abject  he  saw  up  to  seven  or  eight 
hundred  yards,  and  was  tolerably  sure  of  hitting  it.  He  had 
practised,  too,  shooting  from  the  saddle. 

After  he  had  been  there  a  short  time  Mr.  Allnutt,  seeing 
that  he  could  sit  any  horse  on  the  farm,  had  given  him  one 
of  his  own,  which  was  as  yet  unbroken.  Yorke  took  great 
pains  in  training  it,  teaching  it  to  halt  when  at  full  gallop, 
to  remain  immovable  while  he  fired  from  the  saddle,  or, 
standing  by  it,  used  it  as  a  rest  for  his  barrel.  It  would 
lie  down  when  he  told  it,  and  come  at  his  whistle.  Its  sire 
was  an  English  hunter  which  Mr.  Allnutt  had  bought  to 
improve  the  strain  of  his  horses,  so  that  it  was  a  faster,  as 
well  as  a  more  powerful,  animal  than  the  native-bred  horses, 
while  possessing  an  equal  amount  of  hardiness  and  endurance. 

"  I  think  it  is  the  best  I  ever  bred,"  he  said  to  Yorke  three 
months  after  the  latter  had  arrived  at  the  farm.  "And  I 
chose  it  for  you  especially,  because  I  saw  at  once  that  you 


36  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

would  do  it  credit,  and  that  some  day  it  might  be  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  you  to  be  well  mounted.  As  to  myself, 
it  does  not  make  any  difference  whether  I  ride  a  mile  slower 
or  a  mile  faster  an  hour;  and  on  the  whole,  I  prefer  going 
a  mile  slower.  Besides,  you  see,  as  a  relation  of  mine  I  wish 
you  to  do  me  credit,  and  I  like  to  take  the  conceit  out  of  some 
of  these  Dutch  lads,  who  think  so  much  of  themselves.  I 
don't  know  when  I  was  more  pleased  than  when  you  beat 
Dirck  Jansen  yesterday  by  twenty  lengths.  He  was  always 
boasting  that  he  had  the  best  horse  in  this  part  of  the  colony. 
Of  course  you  had  the  advantage  of  being  at  least  two  stone 
the  lighter;  but  they  don't  take  any  account  of  weight  out 
here.  Besides,  I  could  see  that  if  you  wanted  to,  you  could 
have  beaten  him  by  twice  as  much.  Between  ourselves,  I 
don't  think  your  aunt  was  quite  as  well  pleased  as  I.  He  is 
a  great  favourite  of  hers,  and  moreover  is  her  cousin.  How- 
ever, we  needn't  mind  that,  except  that  I  fancy  you  have 
made  an  enemy,  and  may  have  trouble  with  him  by  and  by. 
These  Dutch  don't  often  forgive  an  injury;  if  they  cannot 
avenge  it  at  once,  it  rankles  in  their  minds  till  they  see  an 
opportunity  for  wiping  it  out." 


CHAPTEE  HI 

A  QUARREL 

AS  time  went  on  Yorke  felt  his  position  increasingly  un- 
comfortable. The  Dutch  farmers  became  more  and 
more  aggressive  in  their  talk.  They  regarded  war  as  certain, 
and  spoke  so  scoffingly  of  the  courage  of  the  British  soldiers, 
and  of  the  easiness  with  which  they  would  be  defeated  and 
driven  out  of  the  country,  that  Yorke  found  it  well-nigh 
impossible  to  hold  his  tongue,  and  had  often  to  leave  the 
room  to  prevent  himself  from  breaking  out. 


A  QUARREL  37 

"  I  am  sorry,  lad,"  his  cousin  said  to  him  one  day.  "  It  is 
a  trial  to  me,  and  I  myself  have  sometimes  to  leave  while 
they  are  talking.  I  can't  well  quarrel  with  these  people,  as 
1  have  to  live  among  them;  but  I  hope  the  time  will  come 
when  I  shall  have  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  a  mighty  chang'e 
in  their  tone." 

"I  don't  mind  the  rest  so  much,"  Yorke  said;  "they  are 
middle-aged  men,  and  they  certainly  believe  what  they  say. 
You  have  been  so  long  with  them  that  you  are  almost  re- 
garded as  one  of  themselves,  and  they  certainly  do  not  take 
any  notice  of  my  being  present,  and  have  no  thought  of  hurt- 
ing my  feelings.  But  it  is  different  with  Dirck  Jansen;  he 
has  been  unpleasant  ever  since  I  came,  and  now  he  seems  bent 
upon  picking  a  quarrel  with  me.  He  talks  at  me  when  he  is 
saying  insulting  things  about  our  soldiers  and  our  people.  Tf 
I  stay  here,  one  of  these  days  I  shall  have  a  desperate  row 
with  him,  which  is  just  what  he  wants." 

"  I  am  afraid  it  is  so.  I  have  noticed  it  myself,  and  have 
even  spoken  to  my  wife  about  it;  but  she  is  prejudiced  in 
his  favour,  and  says  that  he  speaks  no  more  strongly  than 
every  true  Afrikander  should  speak.  Besides,  what  good 
could  come  of  your  having  a  quarrel  with  him !  He  is  nearly 
nineteen,  two  years  older  than  you  are,  and  a  big  powerful 
fellow.  It  is  what  he  is  trying  to  do,  and  nothing1  would 
please  him  better  than  for  you  to  give  him  the  chance  of 
thrashing  you." 

"  He  is  a  great  deal  stronger  and  bigger  than  I  am,  uncle ; 
but  I  don't  suppose  that  he  has  the  slightest  idea  of  boxing, 
and  I  can  use  my  fists  pretty  well.  I  might  get  thrashed,  but 
I  certainly  should  not  be  thrashed  easily.  However,  I  am 
anxious  not  to  have  a  row,  and  the  sooner  the  war  begins  and 
I  can  enlist  the  better.  I  have  stood  as  much  as  I  can  do,  my 
patience  has  pretty  well  come  to  an  end.  I  should  not  have 
put  up  with  so  much  but  for  your  sake." 

It  happened  unfortunately  that  Dirck  Jansen  came  over 
next  day  with  four  or  five  other  farmers.  The  house  was  a 


38  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

favourite  resort,  for  Mrs.  Allnutt  was  far  more  hospitable 
than  was  the  custom,  and  always  produced  a  bottle  of  spirits 
when  she  had  visitors,  and  the  inducement  of  a  free  drink  is 
one  that  few  Boers  can  withstand. 

"  The  news  is  good !  "  Dirck  Jansen  shouted  boisterously  as 
they  rode  up.  "  We  hear  there  is  no  doubt  that  Steyn  will 
go  with  the  Transvaal,  and  they  say  that  Kruger  will  very 
soon  stop  fooling  the  Kooineks,  and  that  he  has  got  every- 
thing now  ready  for  kicking  them  out  of  South  Africa.  I 
should  advise  you  to  be  packing  up  at  once,  young  fellow. 
You  won't  have  much  time  when  we  get  your  soldiers  on  the 
run." 

"  Wait  till  you  get  them  on  the  run,"  Yorke  replied.  "  It 
will  be  time  enough  to  begin  to  brag  then." 

"  Brag !  "  the  other  said  scornfully.  "  What  can  fellows 
who  don't  know  one  end  of  a  gun  from  another  do  against 
us?" 

"  There  are  a  good  many  who  know  more  than  that,  as  you 
will  find  to  your  cost,  Dirck,  if  you  are  man  enough  to  go  out 
and  try  them.  There  are  some  who  can  shoot  straight,  any- 
how." 

"  Yourself,  for  instance,"  Dirck  said  scoffingly.  "  I  hear 
you  have  been  popping  away  among  the  hills,  but  I  have  not 
heard  of  your  bringing  in  much  game." 

"I  don't  care  about  shooting  at  things  that  can't  shoot 
back  in  return.  But  maybe  I  can  shoot  as  straight  as  some 
of  you  can  do." 

"  Do  you  mean  myself  ? "  Dirck  replied  angrily. 

"Yes,  I  mean  yourself  among  others,  Dirck  Jansen." 

"  Will  you  try  ? "  Dirck  shouted  as  he  dismounted. 

"  Certainly  I  will.  I  'am  told  you  are  the  best  shot  in  the 
neighbourhood;  and  if  you  can't  beat  me,  who  have  only 
taken  to  it  lately,  you  may  acknowledge  that  those  who  shoot 
worse  than  you  will  have  no  great  chance  against  Englishmen 
who  shoot  a  great  deal  better  than  I." 


A  QUABBEL  39 

"You  see,  all  of  you,  this  insolent  young  fellow  has  chal- 
lenged me  to  a  trial  of  skill,"  Dirck  said  to  his  companions. 
"  I  would  not  have  condescended  to  compete  with  him,  for 
there  is  no  credit  to  be  gained  in  beating  such  a  boy;  but  he 
wants  taking  down,  and  I  am  glad  to  have  the  opportunity 
of  doing  it.  Now,  Mr.  Allnutt,  I  will  leave  it  to  you  to 
settle  the  distance  and  the  mark.  I  say  anything  between  a 
hundred  and  five  hundred  yards;  but  two  hundred  is  the 
general  distance  we  have  for  our  matches." 

"  What  do  you  say  to  two  hundred,  Yorke  ? " 

"  That  will  suit  me  very  well,  though  I  should  prefer  a 
thousand." 

The  Boers  had  all  dismounted. 

"  Then  let  us  go  out  behind  the  house,  Mr.  Allnutt,"  one  of 
them  said,  "  we  can  easily  choose  a  mark  there." 

Yorke  went  into  the  house  to  get  his  rifle  and  soon  joined 
them.  They  went  a  short  distance,  and  then  the  Boer  said, 
"  That  rock  there  is  about  two  hundred  yards  away,  it  will 
make  a  very  fair  mark." 

"  It  would  be  difficult  to  judge  which  is  the  centre,"  Yorke 
said,  "  and  might  give  rise  to  dispute." 

"  That  is  so,"  the  Boer  said  gravely.  "  I  saw  an  empty  tin 
in  the  yard,  the  bottom  of  that  will  make  a  very  good  bull's- 
eye." 

Mr.  Allnutt  shouted,  "Hans!"  The  lad  was  standing  at 
the  gate  of  the  yard  looking  after  them.  He  had  heard  the 
conversation,  but  dared  not  follow  them.  "Hans,  wrench 
the  top  off  that  tin  by  the  kitchen  door  and  bring  it  here." 

They  then  walked  on  to  the  rock,  where,  in  two  or  three 
minutes,  Hans  joined  them  with  the  top  of  the  tin.  It  had 
been  a  two-pound  tin,  and  the  circle  was  some  four  inches 
across. 

"It  will  stand  very  well  on  this  projection  on  the  face," 
the  Boer  said.  "  It  will  then  be  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the 
centre." 


40  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA. 

"  But  it  will  tumble  down  every  time  it  is  hit." 

"  Hans  will  stand  near  and  pick  it  up  again,"  Mr.  Allnutt 
said. 

"  It  had  better  be  fixed,"  the  Boer  remarked.  "  There  is  a 
little  crack  in  the  rock,  a  nail  driven  through  the  tin  would 
hold  it  there.  It  is  better  to  do  the  thing  properly." 

Dirck  laughed.  "  By  all  means  do  it  properly,  though  I 
cannot  see  why  we  should  trouble  about  such  a  farce  as 
this." 

Mr.  Allnutt  paid  no  attention  to  this  speech,  but  said, 
"  Go  and  take  a  hammer,  Hans,  and  a  good-sized  nail,  and 
cut  the  bottom  out  of  another  tin  and  bring  that  here  too. 
If  three  or  four  holes  are  made,  the  question  may  arise  as  to 
which  is  the  last." 

The  lad  ran  off. 

"Now,  Mr.  Van  Laun,  while  he  is  away  we  may  as  well 
arrange  as  to  how  they  had  better  shoot — how  many  shots 
each  shall  fire,  whether  they  shall  shoot  alternately,  or  one 
fire  his  shots  at  one  of  the  pieces  of  tin,  and  then  the  other 
take  the  new  target.  I  think  that  will  be  the  best,  then  no 
dispute  can  arise." 

"I  agree  with  you.    Hovr  many  times  shall  each  fire?" 

After  discussion  it  was  agreed  that  each  should  fire  ten 
shots. 

"  Now,  it  will  be  fair,"  the  Boer  said,  "  to  toss  up  for  who 
shall  fire  first.  What  do  you  say?  Heads  shall  mean  Dirck, 
tails  your  lad." 

"  Do  you  mean,  whichever  wins  is  to  have  the  choice  ?  " 

"  No,  which  ever  wins  fires  first." 

The  coin  was  spun  in  the  air.  It  came  down  "  heads ". 
When  Hans  returned  one  of  the  discs  of  tin  was  nailed  up 
at  the  spot  arranged,  then  Mr.  Allnutt  stepped  two  hundred 
yards.  Dirck  unslung  his  rifle,  and  filled  the  magazine. 
Hans  stood  three  or  four  yards  from  the  rock;  he  knew  that 
there  was  little  chance  of  either  of  them  missing  the  stone. 
Although  Dirck  had  so  far  treated  the  affair  as  almost  a 


A  QUARREL  41 

joke  he  was  not  disposed  to  be  careless,  for  the  quiet  and  com- 
posed air  of  his  young  antagonist  seemed  to  show  that  the 
latter  must  be  at  least  a  fair  shot  or  he  would  never  have 
carried  the  thing  so  far.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  he  had  loaded 
his  rifle,  he  took  his  place  with  greater  seriousness  and  gravity 
than  he  had  hitherto  manifested.  He  put  the  gun  up  to  his 
shoulder  and  then  lowered  it  again. 

"  Is  there  any  time-limit  ?  "  he  asked. 

The  Boers  and  Mr.  Allnutt  consulted  together  a  moment, 
then  the  latter  said,  "  We  have  agreed  that  there  may  be  half 
a  minute  between  each  of  the  first  five  shots,  a  limit  of  two 
minutes  for  reloading,  and  then  half  a  minute  between  each 
of  the  last  five  shots." 

Dirck  again  raised  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder  and  almost  in- 
stantaneously fired.  There  was  a  clang.  Hans  ran  forward 
and  pointed,  with  a  stick  he  had  cut,  to  a  spot  near  the  edge 
of  the  tin.  As  soon  as  he  retired  again  the  rifle  cracked. 
The  ten  shots  were  all  fired  well  within  time.  Hans  took 
down  the  tin  and  ran  with  it  to  the  group,  and  then,  going  to 
the  rock,  fastened  the  other  there.  Seven  of  the  bullets  had 
hit  the  tin  fairly,  another  had  cut  a  semicircular  bit  out  of 
the  edge,  the  other  two  had  been  outside  the  circle.  The  holes 
were  dotted  about  all  over  the  tin,  but,  with  one  exception, 
none  was  within  an  inch  of  the  centre. 

"That  is  very  good  shooting,"  Mr.  Allnutt  said.  "Four 
inches  are  not  much  of  a  mark  at  two  hundred  yards." 

"  I  have  done  better,"  Dirck  said  carelessly,  "  but  I  fancy 
it  is  quite  good  enough  for  the  purpose." 

Yorke  now  took  his  place  at  the  firing-point.  There  was 
not  a  breath  of  wind  blowing,  and,  as  he  had  practised  so 
often  at  a  similar  mark,  he  felt  pretty  confident  that  he  could 
ck>  better  than  Dirck  had  done.  He  shouted  to  Hans,  "Do 
not  trouble  to  point  out  where  the  shots  strike.  I  would 
rather  fire  quicker." 

The  first  five  shots  went  off  at  intervals  of  only  about  ten 
seconds.    He  reloaded  quickly,  and  again  fired  rapidly. 


42  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"  You  have  not  overrated  your  shooting,"  the  Boer  who  had 
taken  the  lead  in  the  matter  said.  "  Every  shot  hit." 

They  walked  up  in  a  body  to  the  target.  As  they  neared 
it  they  uttered  exclamations  of  surprise.  The  ten  shots  had 
all  fairly  struck  the  tin. 

"  It  is  a  trick,  an  infamous  trick ! "  Dirck  exclaimed  furi- 
ously. "  That  boy  must  have  punched  the  holes  before  he 
put  the  tin  up.  It  is  not  the  one  he  showed  us  as  he  went 
along." 

"  It  is  a  lie,"  Yorke  said,  "  and  you  know  it.  I  thought  it 
wasn't  in  you  to  take  a  licking  in  good  part.  Fellows  who 
boast  so  much  very  seldom  stand  being  collared." 

With  a  howl  of  rage  Dirck  pointed  his  rifle  at  him,  for- 
getting that  he  had  not  reloaded  it.  He  pulled  the  trigger, 
but  as  there  was  no  report,  he  threw  the  gun  down  with  an 
oath  and  flew  at  Yorke.  The  latter  stood  steadily,  and  as 
his  assailant  was  on  the  point  of  closing  with  him,  struck 
out  with  his  right  fist,  throwing  his  whole  strength  into  the 
blow;  it  caught  Dirck  just  on  the  point  of  the  chin,  and  he 
went  backwards  as  if  he  had  been  shot.  It  had  all  passed  so 
rapidly  that  the  others  had  no  time  to  interfere.  In  a  mo- 
ment they  ran  in. 

"  I  am  sorry  this  has  happened,  sir,"  the  leading  Boer  said 
to  Mr.  Allnutt.  "  Dirck  has  been  wrong  altogether.  He  was 
the  aggressor,  and  was  fairly  beaten  by  your  lad,  who  is  cer- 
tainly a  marvellous  shot.  He  has  been  more  thoroughly 
beaten  now.  If  his  rifle  had  been  charged,  he  would  have 
shot  his  opponent,  so  he  richly  deserved  the  punishment  he 
has  got.  You  had  better  take  your  lad  away  now;  we  will 
see  to  Dirck."  Then  he  turned,  and,  as  Yorke  walked  off 
with  the  colonist,  assisted  the  others  to  raise  Dirck,  who  was 
half-stunned  by  the  blow,  on  to  his  feet. 

"You  have  behaved  shamefully,  Dirck  Jansen,"  he  said 
sternly  when  he  found  that  the  young  man  could  understand 
him.  "You  have  brought  discredit  upon  yourself  and  us. 
You  have  been  beaten  at  shooting  by  a  mere  boy,  and  instead 


YORKE  PROVES  HIS  METAL. 


A  QUARREL  43 

of  taking  it  fairly  and  in  a  good  spirit,  you  first  accuse  him 
of  playing  a  trick  upon  you,  and  then  try  to  murder  him. 
And  now,  big  as  you  are,  he  has  knocked  you  silly.  We  are 
ashamed  of  you.  Hans,  go  and  fetch  Mr.  Jansen's  pony. 
Now,  Dirck,  you  will  mount  and  ride  off  at  once,  and  I  will 
tell  Mrs.  Allnutt  that  you  will  not  come  to  the  farm  again 
for  some  time,  and  why." 

There  was  a  murmur  of  approval  from  the  others,  and 
Dirck  stood  sulkily  until  Hans  arrived  with  his  horse;  then 
he  picked  up  his  rifle,  slung  it  over  his  shoulder,  mounted,  and 
rode  off  without  a  word.  The  others  walked  to  the  house. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  tell  you,  Mrs.  Allnutt,  that  Dirck  Jansen  has 
behaved  scandalously.  He  had  a  fair  trial  of  skill  with  your 
husband's  young  cousin,  and  the  lad  beat  him  hollow.  Then 
he  falsely  accused  him  of  an  unworthy  trick,  levelled  his  rifle, 
and  pulled  the  trigger.  It  would  have  been  murder  had  not, 
happily,  the  rifle  been  unloaded.  Then  he  rushed  to  seize  the 
lad,  and  was  knocked  senseless  by  him.  I  have  apologized, 
and  my  friends  here  join  me  in  the  apology,  to  the  young 
fellow,  for  the  gross  conduct  of  Dirck  Jansen,  and  we  trust 
that  you  will  not  receive  Dirck  in  your  house  so  long  as  the 
lad  remains  here." 

"  It  seems  hardly  possible,  Mr.  Van  Laun,  that  Dirck  should 
have  behaved  so.  He  must  have  been  grossly  insulted  to  begin 
with.  I  hear  that  the  shooting  arose  out  of  a  quarrel." 

"  It  was  not  exactly  a  quarrel,  though  both  were  angry. 
Dirck  began  by  saying  rough  things  to  your  lad,  who  was  not 
to  be  blamed  because  he  spoke  up  for  his  countrymen,  just 
as  I  should  have  done,  or  any  other  Dutchman  would  have 
done,  had  an  Englishman  spoken  so  of  our  people." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  what  you  say,  Mr.  Van  Laun,"  Mrs. 
Allnutt  said  somewhat  stiffly.  "  I  cannot  but  think  that 
Dirck  must  have  had  great  provocation." 

"Dirck  is  a  hot-headed  young  fool,  cousin,  and  though  I 
am  as  nearly  related  to  him  as  you  are,  I  say  so  without  hesi- 
tation; and  for  my  part,  I  am  not  altogether  sorry  that  this 


44  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

young  English  lad  should  have  given  him  a  lesson.  The  fact 
that  he  is  perhaps  the  best  shot  round  here  has  cocked  him 
up  altogether  unduly.  He  had  it  in  his  heart  to  commit 
murder  to-day,  for  it  would  have  been  murder  if  there  had 
been  a  cartridge  in  his  gun;  and  though  it  would  have  been 
hard  to  testify  against  one  of  my  own  blood,  I  must  have  said 
BO  in  open  court  had  he  been  tried  for  the  act.  However,  I 
hope  we  shall  hear  no  more  of  it,  and  that  the  lads  will  not 
meet  again  till  Dirck  has  come  to  his  senses.  He  will  laear 
the  truth  from  all  of  us  who  were  present  at  the  affair,  and 
may  be  all  the  better  for  finding  that  he  is  not  such  a  fine 
fellow  as  he  thought  he  was." 

Mrs.  Allnutt  did  not  reply.  It  was  evident  that  her  sym- 
pathies were  entirely  with  Dirck.  The  farmers  did  not  stop, 
but,  mounting  their  horses,  rode  off.  Mr.  Allnutt  went  out 
into  the  yard,  and,  as  he  expected,  found  Yorke  talking  in  the 
stables  to  Hans.  The  latter  was  in  high  glee,  for  he  hated 
Dirck  Jansen,  who  had  sworn  at  him  many  a  time  when  he 
did  not  bring  his  horse  round  as  quickly  as  he  had  expected, 
and  was  once  on  the  point  of  laying  his  whip  about  hia 
shoulders  when  Mr.  Allnutt,  coming  out  of  the  house,  and 
seeing  what  was  about  to  happen,  had  arrested  the  blow  by 
saying  sternly,  "  Drop  that,  Dirck,  you  are  not  master  here 
yet.  Hans  is  my  servant  and  not  yours;  neither  you  nor 
anyone  else  shall  touch  him." 

Yorke  and  he  were  still  talking"  when  Mr.  Allnutt  entered 
and  motioned  to  Hans  to  go  outside. 

"  This  is  an  unfortunate  affair,  Yorke,  very  unfortunate.  I 
do  not  consider  that  you  were  in  any  way  to  blame,  but  that 
hardly  makes  it  less  unfortunate.  Here  you  have  beaten  a 
fellow  was  proud  of  his  skill  with  the  rifle;  your  shooting 
certainly  astonished  me,  for  although  I  knew  that  you  had 
used  a  tremendous  lot  of  cartridges  in  the  past  six  months,  I 
had  no  idea  that  you  had  done  it  to  such  good  purpose.  In. 
the  next  place,  you  have  floored  him  as  neatly  as  I  ever  saw  a 
jnan  knocked  down,  and  have  done  it  with  half  a  dozen  of  his 


A  QUARREL  45 

own  friends  looking  on.  In  the  third  place,  you  have  brought 
him  into  disgrace  with  them,  and  as  the  story  will  soon  get 
about,  it  will  be  a  terrible  blow  to  his  pride. 

"  Now,  I  have  never  liked  Dirck.  He  is  a  very  bad  type 
of  the  Dutchman  in  these  parts,  though,  I  have  no  doubt,  he 
would  pass  muster  in  the  Transvaal.  He  is  rude  and  over- 
bearing; and  although  a  man  may  be  all  that,  and  yet  at 
bottom  a  good  fellow,  I  don't  think  Dirck  is  so.  He  will 
never  forgive  you,  and  unless  I  am  greatly  mistaken,  he  will 
try  in  some  way  to  get  even  with  you,  and  will  not  care  what 
steps  he  takes  to  do  so.  Now,  you  know,  lad,  you  have  been 
talking  for  some  little  time  p%ast  of  going1  down  to  Cape  Town, 
and  joining  a  corps  newly  got  up  there,  when  the  war  breaks 
out,  which  I  am  afraid  it  will  do  very  shortly.  I  tell  you 
frankly  that,  sorry  as  I  am  to  say  so,  I  think  it  will  be  better 
for  you  to  do  this  speedily.  I  don't  mean  to-morrow  or  next 
day,  but  shortly.  I  am  also  sorry  to  say  that  this  affair  will 
not  make  matters  more  comfortable  at  home.  You  know  my 
wife  is  very  fond  of  Dirck,  and  it  will  take  a  great  deal  to 
make  her  believe  that  he  could  be  wrong  in  anything.  Van 
Laun  spoke  out  straight  to  her,  and  said  that  the  fellow  was 
altogether  to  blame;  but  I  could  see  that  her  sympathies  were 
nevertheless  with  him,  and  she  believes  that  you  were  at  fault 
in  the  matter." 

"  I  would  go  to-morrow,  uncle,"  Yorke  said ;  "  but  it  would 
look  like  running  away.  I  will  stay  at  home  for  another 
week,  and  then  I  will  go.  I  don't  mind  whether  aunt  is 
displeased  with  me  or  not.  I  am  conscious  of  having  done  no 
wrong,  and  if  she  shows  me  that  I  am  no  longer  welcome  I 
shall  tell  her  quietly  that  she  will  only  have  to  put  up  with 
me  for  another  week.  It  may  be  unpleasant,  but  I  am  not 
going  to  disappear  as  if  I  were  a  culprit,  and  afraid  of  Dirck 
Jansen." 

"  All  right,  Yorke !  I  can  quite  understand  your  feelings. 
I  am  heartily  sorry,  but  I  feel  that  you  could  not  hope  to  be 
comfortable  if  you  stayed  here.  I  am  sorry  now  that  I  asked 


46  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

you  out  here,  but  at  the  time  I  did  not  foresee  that  this  ill- 
feeling  on  the  part  of  the  Dutch  would  become  so  deep  and 
bitter.  Had  I  done  so,  I  would  not  have  asked  you,  knowing 
that  my  wife  is  as  prejudiced  as  her  neighbours." 

"You  need  not  be  sorry,  uncle,  that  you  invited  me  here. 
I  have  had  a  pleasant  time  and  I  have  learned  a  great  deal. 
If  I  had  not  been  out  here  I  should  be  slaving  at  Greek  and 
mathematics  at  home,  whereas  now,  if  war  breaks  out,  which 
seems  almost  certain,  I  shall  have  a  most  exciting  time  of  it, 
and  when  it  is  over  I  may  see  some  way  of  making  a  start 
for  myself." 

Mrs.  Allnutt  did  not  appear  at  supper. 

"Will  you  tell  her,  uncle,"  Yorke  said,  after  talking  the 
matter  over  for  some  time,  "  that  I  shall  leave  this  day  week, 
and  that  if  my  presence  is  obnoxious  to  her  I  will  take  my 
meals  apart.  I  am  awfully  sorry  that  my  presence  here 
should  inconvenience  her,  but  I  really  cannot  go  away  as  if 
I  had  been  sent  off  in  disgrace,  or  were  afraid  to  meet  Dirck 
Jansen  again." 

"  Quite  right,  lad !  I  hope  that  your  aunt  will  be  in  a 
better  state  of  mind  to-morrow  morning;  but  when  once  she 
takes  a  thing  into  her  head  she  is,  between  ourselves,  as 
obstinate  as  a  mule.  Well,  whatever  she  may  think  of  this 
quarrel,  angry  as  she  may  be  at  it,  she  cannot  but  feel,  after 
what  Van  Laun  said,  that  Dirck  brought  it  upon  himself. 
She  is  a  fair-minded  woman  when  she  is  cool,  and  I  have  no 
doubt,  before  you  go,  she  will  be  really  sorry;  for  although 
I  acknowledge  that  her  affections  are  very  strongly  devoted 
to  Dirck,  she  has  certainly  during  the  time  you  have  been 
here  taken  to  you  a  good  deal,  and  she  has  several  times 
said  it  was  wonderful  how  little  trouble  you  were  in  the 
house." 

"  She  has  always  been  very  kind,  and  I  am  really  very  sorry 
that,  however  innocently,  I  have  incurred  her  displeasure. 
You  know  that  this  is  so,  uncle,  and  if  there  were  any  place 
near  which  I  could  go  to  without  seeming  to  run  away,  I 


A  QUABBEL  47 

would  leave  at  once  rather  than  stop  here  where  I  am  not  wel- 
come." 

"  Don't  trouble  about  it,  Yorke.  I  invited  you  here,  and  I 
ask  you  to  stay.  If  my  wife,  in  the  teeth  of  what  her  own 
friends  tell  her,  chooses  to  consider  you  to  have  been  in  the 
wrong,  I  can't  help  it,  and  no  one  else  can.  I  shall  not  at- 
tempt to  argue  the  matter  with  her.  I  know  that  presently 
she  will  see  that  she  has  acted  very  unfairly  towards  you,  and 
I  hope  that  she  will  even  in  time  recognize  that  Dirck  Jansen 
is  by  no  means  what  she  thinks  him.  It  matters  not  to  me 
whom  she  leaves  the  farm  to,  but  I  should  not  like  to  see  it 
go  to  him." 

"  But  would  you  not  have  it,  uncle  ? " 

u  No.  It  was  a  curious  arrangement.  The  old  man  left 
his  farm  to  her,  and  her  children  after  her  if  she  should  have 
any;  if  not,  she  had  the  power  of  leaving  it  at  her  death  to 
any  of  the  descendants  of  his  married  sisters  whom  she  might 
choose.  But  it  was  at  her  death  to  be  valued,  and  should  it 
under  my  management  have  increased  in  value,  the  increase 
was  to  be  estimated  by  a  firm  of  Dutch  valuers  whom  he 
named,  in  Cape  Town,  and  I  was  to  receive  either  in  cash,  or 
as  a  mortgage  upon  the  farm,  the  sum  which  they  fixed  as  the 
increase  in  its  value.  The  old  man  saw  that  I  had  g'ood 
ideas  and  that  I  should  improve  the  place,  and  he  said  to  me 
a  short  time  before  his  death,  '  I  should  not  like  myself  to  see 
all  these  changes  that  you  tell  me  you  wish  to  make,  but  I 
have  no  doubt  that  they  will  increase  its  value.  It  is  fair 
that,  if  my  daughter  dies  before  you,  you  should  have  the 
benefit  of  the  work  that  you  have  done,  so  I  have  had  the  farm 
valued,  and  it  will  be  valued  again  by  the  same  firm  if  she 
dies  before  you,  and  you  will  receive  the  difference.  Does 
that  seem  to  you  to  be  fair  ? ' 

" '  Quite  fair,'  I  said. 

" '  It  will  be  the  same  thing  during  her  lifetime.  I  have 
set  down  what  the  farm  has  brought  me  in  for  the  past  twenty 
years.  She  is  to  receive  the  average  rental  and  to  be  its 


48  WITH  ROBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

mistress.  As  I  warned  you  before  you  married  Her,  I  will 
have  no  Englishman  master  here;  but  you  may  have  the  use 
of  one-third  of  the  income  to  be  laid  out  in  improvements. 
It  is  to  be  as  a  loan  to  you,  and  to  be  repaid  from  the  extra 
profits  of  the  place.' 

"I  thought  the  arrangement,  although  curious,  was  very 
fair.  I  need  hardly  say  that  the  income  is  now  four  times  as 
great  as  it  was  when  the  old  man  died.  The  money  I  used 
for  improvements  has  long  since  been  paid  off,  and  I  have  laid 
by  a  very  considerable  sum.  My  wife  and  I  never  talk  about 
money  matters.  She  has  the  amount  that  was  annually  made 
by  her  father,  with  which  she  runs  the  house,  and  spends  as 
she  likes.  She  neither  asks  what  the  farm  now  brings  in,  nor 
interferes  with  me  in  any  way,  so  that  we  get  on  very  well 
together.  If  she  dies  before  me,  I  shall,  in  addition  to  what  I 
have  laid  by,  have  a  heavy  mortgage  on  the  farm;  and  be- 
tween ourselves,  it  is  morally  certain  that  Dirck  Jansen,  if 
she  leaves  it  to  him,  will  never  be  able  to  pay  the  interest, 
for  he  will  work  on  the  old  grooves,  so  far  as  he  works  at  all, 
and  in  a  couple  of  years  after  he  takes  possession  I  shall 
foreclose  and  have  the  farm  put  up  to  auction,  in  which  case 
I  hope  that  some  Englishman  will  buy  it.  I  should  certainly 
not  remain  in  the  colony  after  her  death. 

"  These  are  the  plans  I  had  formed  for  myself,  Yorke,  and 
when  I  was  in  England,  and  invited  you  to  come  up,  it  was 
with  a  vague  idea  that  some  day  you  might  possibly  succeed 
me  here.  The  mortgage  which  I  shall  hold  over  the  property 
is  larger  than  anyone  would  be  likely  to  bid  for  the  farm,  and 
I  thought  that  I  might  therefore  purchase  it  in  your  name. 
But  since  you  have  been  here,  I  have  seen  that  this  would  not 
do.  In  the  first  place,  you  would  never  be  contented  to  settle 
down  here,  you  have  too  much  energy  to  take  to  the  life  of  a 
farmer;  and  this  quarrel  with  Dirck  would  alone  render  that 
plan  impossible.  There  is  an  enmity  already  established; 
and  if  he,  after  coming  into  possession  of  the  farm,  were 
turned  out  by  you,  he  would  become  your  deadly  enemy. 


A  QUABBEL  49 

and  would  assuredly  Have  the  sympathy  of  his  relations,  and, 
indeed,  of  all  the  Boers  around.  Therefore  I  shall  not  par- 
ticularly care  who  buys  the  farm  and  pays  off  my  mortgage. 

"I  have  been  very  much  pleased  with  you  ever  since  you 
came  here,  and  what  was  two  years  ago  only  a  vague  idea  is 
now  my  fixed  intention,  and  you  will  be  my  heir  at  my  death. 
I  have  no  nearer  relation,  and  I  have  not  felt  attracted  to- 
wards anyone  whom  I  have  met,  except  your  family.  Of 
course,  I  may  die  before  my  wife.  In  that  case,  my  claim  to 
the  estate  for  the  improvements  I  have  effected  will  drop, 
though,  of  course,  the  sum  I  have  laid  by  will  not  be  affected. 
My  opinion  was  asked  on  this  subject  when  the  old  man  made 
his  will,  and  I  willingly  agreed  to  it,  because  it  seemed  to  me 
a  fair  one;  and  besides,  there  was  no  one  at  that  time  whom 
I  cared  particularly  to  benefit  after  my  death." 

Yorke,  who  was  greatly  surprised  at  what  Mr.  Allnutt  said, 
began  to  thank  him  for  the  kindness  of  his  intentions  to- 
wards him,  but  the  latter  said :  "  There  is  no  occasion  at  all 
for  that.  I  must  leave  my  money  to  someone,  and  as  I  like 
you  better  than  any  of  my  other  relations  it  is  only  natural 
that  you  should  be  my  heir.  It  may  be  a  good  many  years 
before  you  benefit  largely  by  it.  I  am  only  some  three  or 
four  and  twenty  years  older  than  you  are.  I  live  a  healthy 
outdoor  life,  and  I  may,  for  aught  I  know,  go  on  till  I  am 
eighty.  However,  now  that  I  regard  you  as  my  heir,  of 
course  I  shall  give  you  a  helping  hand  when  you  need  it,  and 
when  these  troubles  are  over,  and  you  have  learned  the  ways 
of  the  country,  and  are  able  to  start  a  business  with  a  good 
chance  of  success,  I  shall  be  ready  to  give  you  a  thousand 
pounds  to  set  you  up  in  it.  Or,  if  you  decide  that  you  would 
like  to  return  home  and  settle  in  England,  you  will  have  that 
sum  to  pay  your  expenses  at  college,  and  such  further  sum  as 
may  be  required  to  maintain  you  until  you  are  in  a  position 
to  keep  yourself.  There,  do  not  let  us  say  anything  more 
about  it  now,  my  boy.  I  should  advise  you  not  to  go  outside 
the  farm  until  you  leave.  The  Boers  seldom  forgive  an  in- 

(M839)  D 


60  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

jury.  Certainly  Dirck  Jansen  will  not  be  an  exception  to  the 
rule,  and,  if  he  has  a  chance,  will  attempt  to  do  you  harm. 
For  example,  he  might  pick  a  quarrel  with  you,  which  might 
come  to  a  shooting  affray,  and  although  you  may  be  a  better 
shot  than  he  is,  he  would  not  hesitate  to  fire  first.  We  had  an 
example  of  that  to-day,  so  you  must  keep  out  of  his  way  till 
you  go.  He  certainly  will  not  come  here  for  the  next  week, 
after  what  Van  Laun,  who  may  be  considered  the  head  of  his 
family,  said.  Now,  lad,  I  feel  tired  after  this  unusual  ex- 
citement, so  we  may  as  well  go  off  to  bed." 

Yorke  did  not  get  to  sleep  for  some  time.  He  was  natu- 
rally excited  as  well  as  surprised  at  the  news  of  his  cousin's 
intentions  towards  him,  and  felt  that  it  would  make  an  im- 
mense difference  to  him.  In  the  most  favourable  circum- 
stances, he  could  not  have  hoped  to  save  a  sum  that  would 
enable  him  to  start  for  himself,  or  to  obtain  a  share  in  any 
established  business.  Now,  his  cousin's  generous  offer  would 
enable  him  to  begin  to  climb  the  ladder  as  soon  as  he  was 
qualified  to  do  so.  As  to  the  alternative  of  returning  to 
England  and  going  to  the  University,  he  set  it  aside  at  once. 
He  liked  the  life  in  South  Africa,  and  would  not  have  cared 
to  take  up  that  of  a  student  again,  with  the  prospect  of  be- 
coming a  hard-working  curate  in  a  poor  neighbourhood,  or 
years  of  waiting  for  briefs  as  a  young  barrister.  With  a 
business  out  there,  he  might  soon  be  able  to  help  them  at  home, 
to  supply  his  sisters  with  pocket-money,  and,  most  pleasant 
of  all,  to  be  able  to  present  his  mother  with  a  carriage,  and  a 
pair  of  horses,  such  as  they  used  to  drive  before.  With  such 
pleasant  thoughts  in  his  mind  he  at  last  fell  off  to  sleep,  and 
in  the  morning,  after  as  usual  partaking  of  a  bowl  of  milk 
and  bread,  started  for  his  ride  round  the  farm  with  Hans  in 
attendance. 

Three  days  passed  quietly.  Mrs.  Allnutt  had  so  far  re- 
laxed as  to  come  down  to  meals,  and  although  she  spoke  as 
little  as  possible  to  Yorke,  she  was  at  least  civil.  On  the 
fourth  morning  he  took  his  rifle  and  went  up  the  valley  to 


A  QUABREL  51 

practise  for  the  first  time  since  his  contest  with  Dirck.  Hans 
was  some  little  distance  behind  him.  As  he  was  on  the 
point  of  dismounting,  he  caught  the  gleam  of  a  rifle-barrel 
behind  a  rock  two  hundred  yards  away.  He  did  not  hesitate 
for  an  instant,  but  threw  himself  from  his  horse.  The  action 
saved  his  life,  for,  as  he  did  so,  a  shot  was  fired,  and  the  ball 
went  through  his  hat,  slightly  grazing  his  head.  As  his  feet 
touched  the  ground  he  fell  with  his  face  towards  the  rock, 
unslinging  his  rifle  as  he  did  so  and  letting  it  fall  in  front  of 
him,  still  grasping  it  close  to  the  trigger. 

With  an  almost  imperceptible  movement  he  brought  the 
butt  to  his  shoulder,  and  then  lay  perfectly  still.  His  face 
was  downward,  and  from  a  short  distance  seemed  to  be  on  the 
ground,  but  in  reality  he  was  able  to  look  under  the  brim  of 
his  hat.  For  two  or  three  minutes  he  lay  thus,  then  he  saw 
Dirck  Jansen  cautiously  look  out  from  behind  the  rock.  For 
a  minute  he  did  not  move,  then  he  slowly  rose  and  pointed  his 
rifle  at  some  object  behind  Yorke.  The  latter  did  not  doubt 
that  he  was  taking  aim  at  Hans.  The  moment  the  thought 
struck  him,  he  fired,  and  Dirck  dropped  his  rifle,  which  ex- 
ploded as  it  touched  the  ground,  and  fell  forwards.  A  few 
seconds  later  Hans  galloped  up. 

"  Are  you  hurt,  master  ?  "  he  exclaimed.  "  I  heard  the  shot, 
and  thought  that  you  had  not  waited  for  me,  until  I  saw  you 
lying  there.  I  then  caught  sight  of  Dirck,  and  saw  him  point 
his  rifle  at  me.  I  thought  I  was  dead;  for  although  you  beat 
Dirck,  he  is  a  fine  shot,  and  at  three  hundred  yards  could  not 
have  missed  me.  Then  I  saw  your  rifle  flash." 

"  It  is  a  bad  business,  Hans.  He  tried  to  take  my  life,  and 
thought  that  he  had  succeeded.  It  was  a  near  shave,  as  you 
see;  the  bullet  went  through  my  hat.  But  I  was  in  the  act 
of  dismounting1,  and  he  fired  an  inch  or  two  too  high."  He 
put  his  hand  on  the  top  of  his  head.  When  he  looked  at  it 
was  covered  with  blood. 

"  It  is  just  as  well,"  he  said,  as  Hans  uttered  an  exclama- 
tion of  alarm.  "It  is  only  a  graze.  If  he  had  missed  me 


52  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

altogether,  my  story  might  not  have  been  believed.  Now,  let 
us  go  and  see  what  has  happened  to  him.  I  hope  I  have  not 
killed  him.  If  I  had  had  time  I  should  have  aimed  at  his 
shoulder,  but  I  knew  that  in  another  instant  he  would  have 
fired  at  you,  and  I  just  sighted  him  and  pulled  the  trigger." 

They  went  over  to  where  Dirck  was  lying.  He  had  been 
hit  high  up  in  the  chest.  "  Three  inches  farther  up  and  I 
should  only  have  broken  his  collar-bone,"  Yorke  said  regret- 
fully. "  Even  as  it  is,  I  hope  that  he  may  recover.  These 
Mauser  bullets  do  comparatively  little  damage  if  they  do  not 
hit  a  vital  point.  It  is  certainly  so  with  game.  Now,  Hans, 
lay  him  down  as  before.  I  will  ride  back  to  the  farm  and 
send  back  help  to  bring  him  in." 

Yorke  returned  to  his  horse,  mounted  it,  and  rode  back  at 
full  speed.  Mr.  Allnutt  had  just  risen  and  come  out  into 
the  yard. 

"  What  is  it,  Yorke  ? "  he  asked  in  alarm  on  seeing  the 
lad's  pale  face  and  a  small  stream  of  blood  running  down  his 
face. 

Yorke  related  what  had  happened. 

"  The  young  scoundrel ! "  the  colonist  exclaimed  indig- 
nantly. "  Well,  at  any  rate  you  are  not  to  blame,  Yorke ;  but 
it  is  a  desperately  bad  business.  Fortunately  you  have  Hans 
to  prove  that  your  account  of  the  attempt  at  assassination  is 
true,  and  you  were  perfectly  justified  in  shooting;  but  still, 
it  will  make  the  feud  worse  than  ever.  I  trust  sincerely  that 
his  wound  will  not  prove  mortal.  I  will  send  off  a  mounted 
man  at  once  to  Eichmond  for  a  surgeon,  and  will  go  out  with 
four  Kaffirs  to  bring  the  unfortunate  young  fellow  in.  Then 
I  will  ride  over  with  you  and  Hans  to  Van  Laun's;  he  is  a 
justice  of  the  peace.  You  can  make  your  deposition  before 
him,  and  I  will  give  my  guarantee  to  produce  you  if  Dirck 
should  die.  Having  done  this,  you  had  better  start  at  once 
for  Cape  Town,  and  when  you  get  there  telegraph  your  ad- 
dress to  me,  so  that  I  can  send  for  you  if  necessary." 

"Very  well,  uncle,  that  will  certainly  be  the  best  way. 


A  QUARREL  63 

I  could  not  stop  here  now.  I  trust  most  earnestly  that  he 
will  recover.  If  I  had  had  time  to  take  aim  I  would  only 
have  disabled  him,  but  I  knew  that  if  I  did  not  fire  instantly 
he  would  have  shot  Hans." 

"  No  doubt  he  thought  that  he  had  shot  you  through  the 
head,  and  intended  to  rid  himself  of  the  only  witness.  I  do 
not  pity  him  one  bit,  whatever  happens  to  him.  He  was  a 
murderer  in  intention,  and  if  he  has  failed,  it  is  not  his  fault. 
I  think  that  even  my  wife  will  have  her  eyes  opened  now  as 
to  his  real  character.  That  he  should  have  aimed  his  rifle 
at  you  before  in  the  heat  of  passion  was  to  some  extent 
excusable;  but  this  was  an  attempt  at  premeditated  murder, 
and  if  he  recovers  he  ought  to  have  a  few  years  in  prison. 
However,  that  will  be  for  you  to  decide." 

"If  I  were  coming1  back  to  live  here  I  would  certainly 
prosecute  him,  for  he  might  make  another  attempt  with  better 
success ;  but,  as  it  is,  I  shall  not  move  in  the  matter.  I  will 
go  out  with  you  and  the  Kaffirs  now.  I  could  not  be  hang- 
ing about  here  doing  nothing  until  he  is  brought  in." 

On  arriving  at  the  spot  they  found  that  Dirck  was  still 
alive,  though  unconscious.  He  was  carefully  placed  on  the 
hurdle  that  a  Kaffir  had  brought  with  him,  and  was  taken 
back  to  the  house,  Mr.  Allnutt  going  on  before  to  tell  his 
wife  what  had  happened.  He  came  out  of  the  door  as  Yorke 
arrived  with  the  bearers,  saw  Dirck  carried  upstairs,  and  then 
came  down  again. 

"  I  will  leave  him  there  in  her  care,"  he  said ;  "  she  will  see 
after  him.  She  did  not  make  any  remark  when  I  told  her 
what  had  happened,  beyond  saying,  'Is  there  any  proof  as 
to  the  truth  of  this  story  ? '  '  There  is  this  for  proof,'  I  said. 
'Hans  heard  one  shot,  and  one  shot  only,  fired  as  he  rode 
up,  then  he  saw  Dirck  rise  and  take  aim  at  him.  Then,  as 
Yorke  fired  he  saw  him  fall.  The  first  shot  that  was  fired  was 
fired  by  Dirck,  and  the  proof  is  that  the  ball  went  through 
Yorke's  hat,  and  the  lad  is  bleeding  from  a  scalp  wound  there. 
'As  the  affair  happened  on  our  farm  there  could  have  been 


54  WITH  BOBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

no  quarrel  between  the  two  lads,  for  Hans  was  but  a  short 
distance  behind  when  the  first  shot  was  fired;  and  as  Dirck 
fell  nearly  three  hundred  yards  from  the  spot  where  Yorke 
was  lying  they  could  not  have  been  near  enough  for  them  to 
have  had  words.  What  is  more,  he  saw  Dirck  rise  from  be- 
hind the  rock  where  he  had  been  lying  hid,  and  when  he 
pointed  that  out  to  me  I  found  the  empty  cartridge  lying 
there.'  She  then  only  said,  '  Bring  him  up  here ;  he  is  my 
cousin.'  Now  we  will  ride  over  to  Van  Laun's.  We  shall 
have  time  to  do  so  before  the  doctor  arrives;  it  is  only  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour's  gallop." 

Ordering  Hans  to  follow  him  he  mounted  and  galloped 
off  with  Yorke.  Mr.  Van  Laun  looked  very  grave  when 
he  heard  the  story. 

"  Unfortunate  lad,"  he  said ;  "  this  is  the  result  of  his  un- 
restrained passions.  Now,  Mr.  Harberton,  will  you  please 
write  down  your  account  of  the  affair,  and  I  will  swear  you 
to  it.  Then  I  will  get  you  to  retire,  and  will  have  Hans  in.'' 

When  the  two  statements  had  been  sworn  to  he  called 
Yorke  in  again. 

"  Of  course,"  he  said,  "  If  Dirck  dies  there  must  be  an 
enquiry  into  this.  In  any  case,  there  must  be  an  enquiry,  if 
you  insist  upon  it.  Mr.  Allnutt  will  give  us  his  surety  that 
you  will  appear  if  he  dies." 

"I  should  be  well  content  to  drop  the  matter,  sir,  if  Dirck 
lives,  as  I  sincerely  hope  he  will.  It  is  a  most  unfortunate 
affair,  and  greatly  to  be  regretted.  However,  related  as  he 
is  to  Mrs.  Allnutt,  I  certainly  have  no  wish  to  press  the  mat- 
ter against  him.  I  am  going  away  from  here,  and  am  not 
likely  to  return  unless  I  am  obliged  to  do  so.  And  for  my 
aunt's  sake,  if  for  no  other  reason,  I  should  regret  extremely 
to  bring  so  heavy  a  charge  against  one  to  whom  she  is  so 
attached." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir.  I  am  the  unhappy  fellow's  uncle,  and 
for  my  own  part  and  that  of  the  family  I  feel  deeply  indebted 
to  you  for  your  forbearance.  I  am  glad,  however,  that  you 


A  QUABBEL  55 

are  about  to  leave,  for  the  ties  of  blood  here  count  for  a  great 
deal.  Although  we  older  men  see  his  fault  in  the  gravest 
light,  there  are  hot  spirits  among  the  young  men  who  might, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  had  been  utterly  in  the  wrong, 
take  up  his  quarrel.  I  will  now  ride  back  with  you  and  hear 
the  surgeon's  report." 

This  turned  out  to  be  favourable  rather  than  otherwise. 
Without  being  able  to  give  any  decided  opinion,  the  surgeon 
said  that  if  all  went  well,  and  no  fever  set  in,  Dirck  might 
recover.  "  The  ball,"  he  said,  "  has  gone  right  through,  and 
has  undoubtedly  passed  through  the  upper  part  of  the  lung; 
but  the  wound  is  so  small  that  it  will  probably  heal  up  with- 
out leaving  any  after  effects.  If,  however,  fever  sets  in,  I  do 
not  disguise  from  you  that  the  result  may  be  fatal,  although 
I  regard  the  probabilities  as  being  altogether  the  other  way. 
As  the  bullet  has  passed  through  there  is  little  for  me  to 
do.  He  must  be  kept  very  quiet,  and  given  cooling  drinks 
for  some  days.  I  shall  ride  over  and  see  him  to-morrow. 
If  he  is  going  on  well,  he  will  be  able  to  take  a  little  nourish- 
ment in  the  way  of  soup  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  days." 

The  news  was  an  immense  relief  to  Yorke.  He  felt  that 
had  the  affair  happened  again  he  could  not  have  acted  other- 
wise; but  the  thought  that  he  might  have  taken  life  was  very 
painful.  If  it  had  been  done  in  the  course  of  a  battle  he 
would  have  thought  comparatively  little  of  it,  but  this  was 
altogether  different;  and  although  Dirck  had  been  exception- 
ally rude  and  discourteous  to  him,  and  he  would  have  liked 
to  give  him  a  good  thrashing,  he  would  have  given  much 
rather  than  be  the  cause  of  his  death.  When  the  surgeon  had 
left,  and  Mr.  Van  Laun,  after  a  few  words  with  Mrs.  All- 
nutt,  had  also  ridden  off,  the  colonist  said: 

"  Now,  Yorke,  the  sooner  you  are  off  the  better.  You  will, 
of  course,  take  Bob.  He  is  the  best  horse  on  the  farm,  and  I 
don't  think  you  will  get  any  better  in  the  colony.  And  in 
the  work  you  will  have  to  do,  your  life  may  depend  upon  the 
speed  of  your  horse." 


66  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA. 

"  Will  you  let  me  take  Hans  with  me? " 

"  He  has  been  speaking  to  me  about  it.  He  is  most  anxious 
to  go  with  you.  Of  course,  he  is  free  to  go  whether  I  like 
it  or  not;  but  indeed  I  shall  be  glad  to  know  that  he  is  with 
you.  He  has  brightened  up  wonderfully  since  you  came,  and 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  he  is  devoted  to  you." 

"  Thank  you !  Of  course  I  cannot  say  whether  I  shall  be 
able  to  keep  him;  that  will  depend  on  what  corps  I  join. 
If  I  enlist  in  the  line,  I  should  hardly  think  they  would  take 
Hans;  but  if  I  join  a  Colonial  corps,  they  may  do  so,  for 
loyal  Dutchmen  would  naturally  be  accepted.  At  any  rate, 
I  shall  do  all  I  can  to  keep  him  with  me." 

"And  now,  as  to  your  traps,  Yorke.  First,  I  suppose  you 
will  ride  down  ?  " 

"It  would  certainly  be  most  pleasant;  besides,  if  I  went  by 
train  there  would  be  a  bother  about  getting  a  horse-box." 

"  Quite  so.  Well,  I  will  pack  up  all  your  things  to-morrow, 
and  send  them  to  Cape  Town  in  a  day  or  two,  marked  '  To  be 
left  till  called  for,'  so  that  you  will  find  them  at  the  goods 
station  when  you  arrive  there.  You  may  as  well  leave  the 
rifle  here.  It  would  be  all  very  well  carrying  it  as  you  go 
through  the  country  districts,  but  it  would  hardly  do  to  ride 
with  it  into  Cape  Town.  I  have  another  of  the  same  kind, 
and  will  put  it  in  for  Hans.  I  have  a  long  box  that  will 
hold  them  very  well,  and  can  pack  with  them  some  of  the 
clothes  you  have  bought  since  you  have  been  here,  and  which 
will  certainly  not  go  into  the  portmanteau  you  brought  with 
you." 

Hans  was  delighted  when  he  heard  that  he  was  to  accom- 
pany Yorke.  No  time  was  needed  for  his  preparations. 

"  You  are  to  take  the  horse  I  usually  ride,  Hans,"  Mr.  All- 
nutt  said ;  "  he  may  need  a  spare  horse  for  his  work,  and  it  is 
as  well  that  while  you  are  with  him  you  should  be  well 
mounted,  so  as  to  be  able  to  go  at  the  same  pace  as  he.  Put 
the  saddle  on  at  once;  it  is  nearly  twelve  o'clock,  and  you 
have  a  long  ride  to  Victoria  West,  where,  of  course,  you  will 


A  QUARREL  67 

sleep  to-night.  Come  in  with  me,  Yorke,  I  will  put  that  cold 
meat  on  the  table  and  you  can  sit  down  and  eat  something. 
All  these  things  have  put  breakfast  out  of  our  heads,  and 
you  have  had  nothing  since  you  rode  off  at  six  o'clock." 

"I  don't  feel  hungry,  uncle." 

"  Oh,  nonsense !    You  must  eat." 

As  soon  as  he  had  kelped  Yorke  he  cut  off  a  large  chunk 
of  meat  and  a  slice  of  bread  and  carried  them  out  to  Hans. 

"  That  is  right,  lad,"  he  said,  when  Yorke  had  made  a  good 
meal,  for  he  had  found  his  appetite  when  he  once  began  to  eat. 
"  Now,  put  this  cheque  into  your  pocket,  it  is  for  one  hundred 
pounds;  you  may  want  to  get  uniform,  and  may  in  any  case 
have  to  wait  some  little  time  before  you  can  arrange  matters. 
Here  are  twenty  pounds  for  your  expenses  on  the  road.  In 
the  envelope  with  the  cheque  is  a  note  to  the  manager  of  the 
bank,  authorizing  him  to  allow  you  to  draw  on  me  up  to 
another  hundred  pounds  should  you  require  it.  There,  I 
don't  want  any  thanks,  lad.  You  know  how  we  stand  now, 
and  the  sooner  you  are  off  the  better." 

"  Do  you  think  my  aunt  would  like  me  to  say  good-bye  to 
her?  I  should  certainly  like  to  do  so.  She  has  been  very 
kind  while  I  have  been  here." 

"  I  will  ask  her,  Yorke,  but  I  don't  think  she  will.  How- 
ever, it  is  just  as  well  to  make  the  offer." 

Eather  to  Yorke's  surprise,  Mrs.  Allnutt  came  into  the 
room  a  minute  later.  "  Good-bye,  Yorke !  "  she  said  gravely. 
"  I  cannot  say,  after  what  has  happened,  that  I  am  sorry  that 
you  are  going,  but  I  am  very  sorry  for  the  circumstances  that 
have  caused  you  to  go.  You  have  been  very  nice  in  the 
house  since  you  came.  I  had  thought,  before  you  arrived, 
that  I  should  not  like  it,  but  it  has  made  things  pleasant, 
and  I  came  to  like  you.  Good-bye!  I  hope  you  will  do  well. 
Some  day,  perhaps,  I  may  see  you  again,  if  not  here,  perhaps 
at  Cape  Town." 

"  Good-bye,  aunt !  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for 
the  kindness  you  have  shown  me  since  I  have  been  here.  I 


58  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

cannot  say  how  sorry  I  am  that  things  should  have  turned 
out  as  they  have.     No  one  can  possibly  regret  it  more  than  I." 
Five  minutes  later  Yorke  and  Hans  mounted  and  started 
on  their  journey. 


CHAPTEK  IV 

THE    ULTIMATUM 

NOW,  Hans,"  Yorke  said  as  they  dismounted  in  front 
~  of  the  hotel  at  which  he  had  stopped  when  he  came 
through  Cape  Town,  "  the  first  thing  after  you  have  put 
the  horses  in  the  stable,  given  them  a  good  rub  down,  and 
seen  that  they  have  had  their  feed,  will  be  to  go  to  some 
little  barber's  shop  and  have  your  hair  trimmed.  Have  it 
cut  short  like  mine.  When  you  have  done  that,  have  a 
thorough  good  wash.  You  are  more  particular  in  that  re- 
spect than  you  used  to  be  when  I  first  knew  you,  but 
there  is  room  for  a  lot  of  improvement;  and  as  you  have 
made  up  your  mind  to  follow  my  fortune  whatever  it  may 
be,  it  is  as  well,  at  any  rate  when  you  join,  to  look  clean. 
Here  are  five  pounds,  go  to  an  outfitter's  and  get  a  decent 
suit  of  clothes — clothes  that  will  fit  you,  you  know,  aud 
not  look  as  if  they  were  made  for  a  man  fifty  inches  round 
the  waist.  Look  about  you  as  you  go  through  the  streets. 
You  will  see  plenty  of  young  Dutchmen  who  have  oome 
in  from  farms,  and  you  will  find  they  wear  very  different- 
looking  clothes  from  those  you  were  accustomed  to.  Get 
things  of  the  same  sort.  Or — no;  I  think  that  it  would  be 
better  for  you  to  come  to  me  after  you  have  got  yourself  tidy, 
and  I  will  go  with  you." 

"That  will  be  better,  Master  Yorke;  I  should  never  be 
able  to  choose  for  myself." 

"Very  well,  give  me  the  money,  then,  less  five  shillings. 
Be  sure  you  tell  the  man  to  cut  your  hair  quite  short;  it 


THE  ULTIMATUM  59 

won't  hold  the  dust  so  much  then,  and  will  give  you  quite  a 
different  appearance.  Don't  come  back  again  for  three  or 
four  hours.  I  want  to  learn  what  is  doing  here,  and  see  what 
openings  there  are.  Get  yourself  a  good  meal  somewhere." 

The  hotel  was  almost  full,  but  Yorke  was  able  to  obtain 
a  room.  He  changed  the  clothes  that  he  had  worn  and  put 
on  a  suit  of  tweeds  he  had  kept  for  special  occasions,  and  then 
went  down  to  the  dining-hall.  As  he  ate  he  listened  to  the 
conversation  at  the  tables  round  him.  He  learned  that  large 
numbers  of  British  officers  had  been  quietly  arriving,  but  that 
they  were  as  yet  in  ignorance  of  the  work  they  had  been  sent 
out  to  perform. 

At  present  the  greater  portion  were  waiting  for  orders,  but 
it  was  believed  that  most  of  them  would  be  employed  in  the 
work  of  superintending  the  transport  on  the  railway,  and  that 
if  war  really  broke  out,  many  would  be  placed  in  command  of 
the  bodies  of  volunteers  to  act  as  scouts,  which  would  doubt- 
less be  raised  in  the  colonies. 

Everything  was  still  doubtful,  and  Yorke  heard  fears  ex- 
pressed that  Kruger  would  back  down  at  the  last  moment. 
He  made  up  his  mind  that  he  would  do  nothing  hurriedly ;  he 
had  money  enough  to  keep  him  for  a  considerable  time,  and 
it  was  better  not  to  make  a  choice  that  he  might  afterwards 
regret.  There  were  sure  to  be  opportunities  directly  the 
matter  came  to  a  crisis. 

Among  the  officers  were  many  civilians,  men  who  had  come 
down  from  Johannesburg,  and  these  he  found  were  almost 
unanimous  in  their  opinion  that  Kruger  and  his  advisers 
were  all  bent  on  war.  These  occupied  several  tables,  and  the 
ladies  with  them  were  dressed  in  the  latest  styles  of  fashion, 
and  wore  an  extravagant  amount  of  jewellery.  He  guessed 
the  husbands  to  be  mining  potentates  and  speculators,  men 
whose  fortunes  were  already  assured,  and  who  could  afford 
to  contemplate  the  worst  that  could  happen  without  anxiety. 

After  he  had  finished  his  meal  he  went  out,  and  stood  on 
the  steps  of  the  hotel  until  Hans  came  up.  He  would  hardly 


60  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

have  known  him,  for  he  looked,  for  the  first  time  in  Yorke's 
experience,  thoroughly  clean,  and  the  change  made  by  this, 
and  the  loss  of  the  long  unkempt  hair  that  had  fallen  to  his 
shoulders,  was  almost  startling.  In  spite  of  his  loose,  ill- 
fitting  clothes,  he  looked  bright  and  alert,  although  somewhat 
shamefaced  at  his  altered  appearance. 

"  I  have  done  as  you  told  me,  Master  Yorke,  but  I  feel  so 
queer  that  I  hardly  know  myself." 

"  That  will  soon  pass  off,  Hans ;  and  you  look  a  hundred 
per  cent  better.  Now,  let  us  go  off  to  one  of  the  stores." 

Here  he  found  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  suit  that  fairly 
fitted  his  follower.  It  consisted  of  a  corded  velveteen  shoot- 
ing jacket,  and  breeches  of  the  same  material;  brown  stock- 
ings of  a  colour  to  match;  a  waistcoat  to  be  put  on  when  the 
evening's  cold  set  in ;  four  flannel  shirts,  and  a  couple  of  dark- 
blue  silk  neck-ties.  From  the  same  store  he  procured  two 
pairs  of  strong  laced  boots.  A  wide-awake  of  the  ordinary 
size  completed  the  attire.  Hans  had  already,  at  Yorke's  or- 
ders hired  a  room  for  himself,  and  his  new  purchases  having 
been  put  in  a  bag,  he  carried  them  off  to  it.  Yorke  remained 
outside  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  Hans  then  rejoined 
him  in  his  new  clothes. 

u  I  am  quite  sure,  Hans,  you  might  ride  up  to  the  house, 
and  neither  your  master  nor  mistress  would  know  you,  but 
would  take  you  for  some  young  farmer  stopping  on  his  way 
down  country  to  ask  for  a  night's  hospitality." 

"  I  don't  know  how  I  look,  Master  Yorke,  but  I  don't  feel 
comfortable  at  all.  There  doesn't  seem  room  for  me  to  move 
in  these  clothes." 

"  Nonsense,  Hans !  They  are  loose  everywhere,  though  not 
so  baggy  as  the  others.  By  the  way,  you  had  better  keep 
the  others;  you  would  be  less  likely  to  be  noticed  in  them  if 
you  entered  a  strange  place  than  you  would  be  now." 

"  I  don't  care  about  being  noticed,"  Hans  said.  "  I  would 
have  as  much  right  to  be  there  as  anyone  else." 

Yorke  laughed.    "Well,  Hans,  as  you  have  agreed  to  go 


THE  ULTIMATUM  61 

with  me — and  you  know  very  well  that  my  intention  is,  if 
possible,  to  get  some  job  with  our  army — I  can  see  that  there 
might  be  plenty  of  occasions  when  you  might  be  gping  into 
places  with  me  where  we  should  not  wish  to  be  noticed." 

A  day  or  two  after  his  arrival,  as  Yorke  stood  on  the  door- 
steps hesitating  which  way  he  should  go,  a  young  officer  who 
was  entering  stopped  and  looked  hard  at  him.  "  Hulloa !  "  he 
said,  "  you  are  Harberton,  are  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  you  are  Parkinson." 

"  What  in  the  world  brings  you  out  here  ?  Why,  you  were 
quite  a  youngster  when  I  left  the  old  school  to  enter  Sand- 
hurst two  years  ago,  and  now  you  are  ne'arly  as  tall  as  I  am !  " 

"  I  have  been  out  here  six  months." 

"  What  have  you  been  doing  ? " 

"  I  have  been  at  a  farm  up-country  belonging  to  a  cousin  of 
my  father.  As  to  what  I  have  been  doing,  I  can  only  say 
I  have  been  riding,  and  shooting,  and  learning  to  speak 
Dutch." 

"And  have  you  learnt  to  speak  it?" 

"  Yes,  I  can  speak  it  well  enough  to  pass  as  a  Boer  in  a 
short  conversation." 

"Well,  come  and  sit  down  in  the  garden  behind  the  hotel 
and  tell  me  all  about  it.  I  suppose  you  are  wanting  to  get  up 
to  the  front — wherever  that  may  be — and  as  I  came  out  with 
a  good  many  men  who  will  be  employed  in  organizing  and 
transport,  and  other  jobs  of  the  sort,  I  may  be  able  to  help 
you,  if  I  know  something  about  what  you  have  been  doing 
out  here." 

Yorke  told  his  old  school-fellow  why  he  had  left  Eugby  and 
come  out,  his  life  at  the  farm,  and  the  events  which  had  led 
to  his  leaving  it  suddenly. 

"  You  have  done  awfully  well,"  Parkinson  said  when  Yorke 
had  finished  his  story,  "  and  you  deserve  to  get  on.  Anyhow, 
if  I  can  help  you,  I  will." 

Three  weeks  passed  quietly;  as  yet  nothing  was  settled. 
Kruger's  replies  to  Mr.  Chamberlain's  despatches  were  more 


62  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

and  more  unsatisfactory;  still,  the  general  feeling  at  the 
Cape  was  that  he  would  back  down  at  the  last  moment  and 
grant  the  terms  of  suffrage  for  which  the  colonial  secretary 
was  pressing.  The  refugees  from  Johannesburg  were  not  of 
this  opinion.  "  We  believe  he  means  to  fight,"  said  one  of  a 
group  gathered  in  the  billiard-room,  "  and  I  hope  with  all 
my  heart  that  he  will  now  do  so.  What  does  it  matter  to 
us  whether  he  gives  the  suffrage  to  men  after  a  five  years' 
or  seven  years'  residence.  In  the  first  place,  he  has  always 
broken  his  engagements,  and  if  he  were  to  agree  to  a  five 
years'  suffrage,  he  would  devise  some  means  for  cheating 
us  out  of  it  afterwards;  besides,  not  one  in  twenty  of  the 
Uitlanders  would  take  the  trouble  to  claim  it.  In  the  first 
place,  they  would  know  that  the  members  they  might  return 
for  the  few  towns  where  they  are  in  a  majority  would  be 
swamped  by  the  representatives  of  the  country  districts;  and 
in  the  next  place,  they  know  that  if  they  took  the  oath  to 
the  Transvaal  Government,  they  would  forfeit  the  right  of 
complaining  to  England  of  any  ill-treatment,  and,  whatever 
their  position,  might  be  commandeered  and  sent  off  to  fight 
Swazis,  or  any  other  savages,  at  a  moment's  notice.  No,  no; 
the  thing  is  begun  now,  and  it  had  best  be  carried  through, 
whatever  it  costs.  It  will  have  to  be  settled  some  day  or 
other,  and  the  sooner  the  better." 

There  was  a  general  chorus  of  assent. 

"I  only  hope,"  another  said,  "that  there  will  soon  be  an 
end  of  all  this  talk.  It  has  been  going  on  for  nearly  a  year 
now,  and  we  are  not  one  day  nearer  to  a  conclusion.  Trade 
is  at  a  stand-still,  and  the  Boers  are  not  fools  enough  to  buy 
goods  when  they  expect  to  be  able  to  grab  them  without 
payment,  as  they  will  do  directly  the  war  begins." 

Hans  had  during  his  rides  and  talks  with  Yorke  completely 
imbibed  the  latter's  opinions.  As  a  farm  servant  he  had 
previously  heard  little  or  nothing  on  the  subject,  and  was 
therefore  quite  ready  to  accept  his  companion's  views  as  to 
the  dispute,  especially  as  he  was  serving  under  an  English 


THE  ULTIMATUM  63 

master  against  whom  he  had  no  cause  of  complaint.  At 
Cape  Town  he  found  nothing  to  alter  his  opinions.  The 
loyal  part  of  the  population,  which  formed  the  large  majority 
there,  were  far  more  outspoken  than  the  Africanders,  and  the 
sight  of  the  soldiers  in  the  streets,  of  the  flags  waving  on  the 
public  buildings  and  on  the  ships  of  war — the  same  flag  as 
he  had  seen  hoisted  on  the  farm  on  holidays — confirmed  his 
feeling  of  loyalty,  and  he  was  prepared  to  follow  Yorke  in 
whatever  service  he  might  engage. 

One  morning1  when  Yorke  came  down  to  breakfast  he  saw 
that  something  unusual  had  happened.  Instead  of  sitting 
down  to  the  meal,  the  residents  were  standing  in  groups, 
talking  excitedly.  He  went  up  to  Parkinson,  who  was  looking 
delighted,  and  asked :  "  What  is  the  news  ? " 

"  Splendid,  Harberton !  Kruger  has  sent  in  the  most  in- 
solent ultimatum  that  ever  was  drawn  up,  demanding  an 
entire  surrender  of  our  claims  and  the  withdrawal  of  our 
troops,  and  giving  only  forty-eight  hours  for  an  answer.  Of 
course  that  means  war.  The  old  fox  has  been  fooling  us  until 
he  was  absolutely  ready  to  begin.  I  expect  he  will  be  crossing 
the  frontier  at  once,  and  certainly  we  have  no  troops  that 
can  stop  him  out  here.  There  are  enough  in  Natal  to  make  a 
fight  of  it ;  but  he  will  have  it  all  his  own  way  in  Cape  Colony 
until  we  get  troops  out  from  England.  By  that  time  they 
will  have  raiding  parties  all  over  the  country;  and  there  is 
no  doubt  that  they  will  be  joined  by  thousands  of  Dutch 
farmers.  This  ultimatum  is  a  glorious  thing.  No  one  can 
say  that  we  forced  the  war  upon  them.  It  puts  a  stop  to 
all  these  negotiations  and  settles  the  question.  It  has  got 
to  be  fought  out  now;  and,  thank  God,  we  have  not  got 
a  government  that  will  permit  another  Majuba  surrender.  I 
expect  we  shall  have  hard  fighting  for  a  time." 

"What  would  you  advise  me  to  do,  Parkinson?  I  don't 
care  in  what  capacity  I  go  up.  I  should  not  like  to  enlist 
in  the  infantry,  because  I  should  lose  the  advantage  that  I 
have  in  being  a  good  rider  and  being  able  to  speak  Dutch. 


64  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

But  I  would  enlist  in  any  capacity  in  which  Dutch  would 
be  useful." 

"  I  have  no  idea  what  any  of  us  are  going  to  do  yet.  No 
doubt  some  general  orders  will  come  from  home  to-day,  and 
I  expect  that  most  of  us  will  be  at  once  sent  up  the  line  to 
see  about  forming  depots,  to  guard  the  bridges,  and  things 
of  that  sort.  At  any  rate,  there  is  not  much  chance  of  your 
getting  to  know  anything  definite  for  a  few  days.  Butler  and 
all  the  heads  of  the  departments  will  be  too  busy  to  go  into 
details.  Certainly  one  of  the  first  steps  will  be  to  organize 
a  transport  train;  without  that  we  should  be  tied  to  the  rail- 
way." 

The  news  had  already  spread  through  the  town,  and  the 
excitement  in  the  streets  was  great.  Most  people  believed 
that  war  must  come  sooner  or  later,  but  the  sudden  outbreak 
was  altogether  unexpected. 

There  was,  however,  a  feeling  of  relief  that  matters  had 
come  to  a  head  at  last,  and  that  Kruger  had  placed  himself 
so  hopelessly  in  the  wrong  by  his  insolent  defiance.  Still, 
there  was  an  uneasy  impression  that  the  course  he  had  taken 
was,  in  his  own  interests,  a  wise  one.  England  had  been 
caught  altogether  unawares.  It  was  true  that  a  few  thousand 
officers  and  men  had  been  quietly  sent  out  during  the  past 
few  months;  still,  there  was  no  force  that  could  hope  to 
withstand  the  fifty  or  sixty  thousand  mounted  men  with 
whom  the  Boers  could  at  once  invade  Cape  Colony  and  Natal. 
No  doubt  was  entertained  that  the  Orange  Free  State  would 
join  the  Transvaal.  Steyn  was  known  to  be  a  most  ambitious 
man,  and  to  be  in  the  closest  communication  with  Kruger, 
and  among  those  staying  in  the  hotel  who  had  come  down 
from  Kimberley,  or  who  had  connections  there,  it  was  re- 
garded as  certain  that  one  of  the  first  movements  attempted 
by  the  Boers  of  the  Free  State  would  be  to  try  to  capture 
Kimberley,  which  lay  close  to  their  frontier  line. 

In  the  evening  Yorke  again  met  Parkinson.  "  A  party  of 
Engineers  are  going  up  to  De  Aar,  a  big  depot  is  about 


THE  ULTIMATUM  65 

to  be  formed  there.  They  take  with  them  a  lot  of  Kaffirs, 
to  mark  out  the  ground  and  clear  it.  I  am  glad  to  hear 
that  there  are  a  biggish  lot  of  stores  already  collected  here. 
Only  one  train  a  day  will  be  open  to  the  public,  and  I 
expect  that  will  soon  be  stopped.  I  tell  you  what  I  will  do, 
Harberton.  I  will  take  you  to  Colonel  Pinkerton.  I  believe 
he  will  be  going  up  to-morrow  to  inspect  the  line,  and  prob- 
ably will  for  the  present  take  command  all  along  it.  He  came 
over  in  the  same  ship  with  me,  and  is  a  very  good  fellow. 
I  will  tell  him  who  you  are,  what  you  can  do,  and  what  you 
want  to  do.  At  any  rate,  his  advice  will  be  worth  having." 

"  Thank  you  very  much !  " 

Parkinson  moved  away  towards  a  party  of  officers  talking 
together,  waited  till  they  broke  up,  and  then  went  up  to  one 
of  them.  They  talked  for  two  or  three  minutes,  then  he 
turned  and  motioned  to  Yorke  to  come  up. 

"  So  you  are  a  school-fellow  of  Parkinson's  ? "  the  officer 
said. 

"Yes,  sir;  we  were  at  Kugby  together,  but  he  was  very 
much  my  senior." 

"  So  you  want  to  do  scouting  business,  to  carry  despatches, 
and  generally  make  yourself  useful.  He  says  that  you  are  a 
good  rider  and  an  excellent  shot,  and  that  you  talk  Dutcli 
well." 

"Fairly  well,  sir;  well  enough,  I  think,  to  pass  as  a  Boer 
in  any  short  conversation." 

"  And  you  have  a  Dutch  lad  with  you  upon  whom  you  can 
rely?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  can  rely  upon  him  absolutely." 

"  There  is  no  doubt  that  you  would  be  very  useful.  You 
know  a  good  deal  about  the  sentiments  of  the  Dutch?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  at  least  of  the  Dutch  for  twenty  miles  round 
Richmond  and  Brakpoort;  they  are  almost  to  a  man  hostile, 
and  I  fancy  from  what  I  heard  it  is  the  same  in  most  dis- 
tricts." 

"I  will  think  the  matter  over;  there  is  no  hurry  for  a  few 

(M  839)  I 


66  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

days.  If  the  Boers  advance  to-morrow,  when  the  time  they 
have  given  us  is  up,  and  push  straight  on,  which  would  cer- 
tainly seem  to  be  their  best  policy,  we  cannot  move  forward, 
but  shall  have  to  stand  wholly  on  the  defensive  till  reinforce- 
ments arrive  from  home;  and  to  take  stores  up-country  will 
simply  mean  their  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Boers.  If  I  go 
up  I  shall  certainly  be  glad  to  take  you  with  me.  Your  boy 
would  be  invaluable  in  the  way  of  obtaining  information,  if 
he  is  as  sharp  as  you  say  he  is  trustworthy,  but  I  see  a 
difficulty  in  employing  you  both  as  civilians." 

There  was  great  satisfaction  in  Cape  Town  when  the  news 
came  that  government  had  announced  in  the  House  that 
arrangements  had  already  been  made  for  the  instant  trans- 
port of  seven  thousand  men  from  India.  Two  days  later 
Yorke  received  an  invitation  to  breakfast  with  the  colonel. 
He  found  a  third  person  at  the  small  table  that  the  officer  had 
secured. 

"This  is  Mr.  Harberton,"  the  latter  said,  "the  young 
gentleman  of  whom  I  was  speaking  to  you,  Major  Mack- 
intosh. Major  Mackintosh  is  in  command  of  one  of  the 
local  volunteer  corps  here,  and  at  my  request,  Mr.  Harberton, 
he  has  arranged  to  give  you  a  commission  in  his  corps,  and  to 
allow  you  to  be  seconded  for  service  as  one  of  my  assistants. 
I  think  that  will  meet  all  difficulties.  While  on  service  you 
will,  of  course,  receive  the  pay  of  your  rank,  and  an  allowance 
for  horse  and  forage.  Your  boy  must  also  enlist  in  the  corps, 
and  will  similarly  obtain  leave  to  go  as  your  servant ;  he  will, 
while  on  duty,  draw  the  pay  and  rations  of  a  private." 

"  Thank  you  indeed,  sir,"  Yorke  said  gratefully ;  "  ard 
thank  you  also,  Major  Mackintosh;  this  is  more  than  I  had 
ever  ventured  to  hope  for." 

"  I  had  the  more  pleasure  in  granting  the  colonel's  re- 
quest," the  officer  said,  "  inasmuch  as  I  am  myself  a  public- 
school  boy.  I  am  an  Etonian,  and  can  quite  understand  your 
eagerness  to  take  part  in  this  business.  I  have  large  numbers 
of  applications  for  enlistment,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  as 


THE  ULTIMATUM  67 

matters  progress  several  fresh  corps  will  be  raised.  My  staff 
of  officers  is  nearly  made  up,  but  I  have  no  difficulty  in  grant- 
ing you  a  commission,  as  when  you  are  seconded  for  other 
duties  it  will  leave  a  vacancy,  so  that  it  is  a  mere  matter  of 
arrangement.  I  will  send  in  your  name  to-day  to  Sir  Wil- 
liam Butler.  You  had  better  attend  at  once  at  the  orderly 
room,  with  your  Dutch  servant,  to  be  sworn  in,  and 
then  get  your  uniforms.  I  dare  say  you  know  what  they 
are." 

"Yes,  sir;  I  saw  the  corps  march  through  the  streets  the 
other  day." 

"  Of  course  you  will  not  want  a  full-dress  uniform,  Mr. 
Harberton,"  the  colonel  said ;  "  and  you  will  take  up  your 
civilian  clothes,  both  those  you  stand  in  and  the  dress  of  a 
Dutch  farmer;  and  your  servant  will  do  the  same,  and  will, 
of  course,  dress  as  a  farm  hand  when  he  is  away  on  any  scout- 
ing expedition." 

"  Certainly,  sir.    I  suppose  I  can  bring  my  rifle  with  me  ?  " 

"Yes;  what  rifle  is  it?" 

"A  Lee-Metford,  sir." 

"  That  is  right ;  it  would  be  of  no  use  taking  up  one  that 
would  not  carry  government  ammunition." 

"  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  colony,  Mr.  Harberton  ? " 
the  major  asked. 

"Six  months,  sir." 

"  You  have  done  well  to  learn  the  language  so  quickly." 

"  The  cousin  with  whom  I  was  staying,  sir,  married  a 
Dutch  lady,  and  as  he  had  been  out  here  twenty  years,  Dutch 
was  generally  spoken  in  the  house.  I  spent  my  whole  time 
in  riding  and  practising  shooting,  and  I  always  had  this 
Dutch  boy  with  me.  He  talks  English,  but  we  talked  when 
together  in  Dutch,  as  I  was  anxious  to  learn  it." 

"  I  suppose  you  were  accustomed  to  ride  before  you  came 
out  here?" 

"  Yes,  my  father  kept  three  horses,  and  bred  them  so  that 
I  learned  to  ride  as  far  back  as  I  can  remember." 


68  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"You  left  school  early,  for  you  cannot  be  past  seventeen 
yet?" 

"Yes,  sir.  My  father  is  a  clergyman,  and  had  a  good 
private  income,  but  the  Birmingham  and  Coventry  Bank,  in 
which  his  money  was  all  invested,  went  to  smash,  and  as  the 
living  was  by  no  means  a  rich  one,  I  had  to  leave  school.  I 
had  been  invited  here  by  my  cousin,  when  he  was  in  England 
a  year  before,  and  it  was  thought  that  I  could  not  do  better 
than  to  come  out  to  him,  and  after  being  with  him  for  a 
time,  try  to  make  my  own  way." 

u  And  so  you  left  him  because  you  thought  war  was  coming 
on?" 

Yorke  smiled.  "  Not  exactly,  sir,  though  I  had  made  up 
my  mind  to  do  so  if  there  was  war ;  but  I  really  left  him  be- 
cause of  a  row  with  a  Dutch  cousin  of  my  cousin's  wife.  I 
think  it  was  partly  jealousy  at  my  being  established  at  the 
farm,  but  the  actual  quarrel  was  about  shooting.  He  was 
very  proud  of  his  marksmanship,  and  I  beat  him  in  a  trial  of 
skill.  Two  days  afterwards  he  shot  at  me  when  I  was  out 
riding.  He  put  a  ball  through  my  hat,  and  made  sure  he  had 
killed  me;  but  I  returned  the  fire,  and  hit  him.  I  was  afraid 
at  first  that  I  had  killed  him,  but  he  was  not  dead  when  I 
came  away.  Fortunately,  Hans,  my  boy,  was  with  me,  and 
was  able  to  prove  that  he  fired  the  first  shot;  but  my  cousin 
said  that  I  had  better  leave  at  once,  for  the  affair  would 
create  an  ill-feeling  among  his  friends,  and  my  life  would  not 
be  safe.  So  off  I  came.  My  cousin  provided  me  well  with 
money,  so  I  thought  that,  before  deciding  upon  what  to  do, 
I  would  wait  and  see  if  war  really  broke  out;  but  in  any 
case  I  thought  of  enlisting  in  a  cavalry  regiment.  I  might 
get  a  commission  some  day,  and  if  I  didn't,  a  few  years  in 
the  ranks  would  perhaps  do  me  good.  I  could  buy  myself  out 
when  I  was  able  to  see  some  other  way  to  earn  a  living." 

"  That  was  as  wise  a  determination  as  you  could  have  taken 
under  the  circumstances,"  the  colonel  said.  "  A  few  years  in 
the  army  does  no  man  any  harm,  if  he  is  steady  and  well-con- 


THE  ULTIMATUM  69 

ducted;  and  if  well  educated,  as  you  are,  he  is  certain  to  get 
his  stripes  in  a  couple  of  years.  The  life  of  a  non-commis- 
sioned officer  is  by  no  means  an  unpleasant  one;  and  there  is 
always  a  chance  of  getting  a  commission,  though  this  is  not 
a  very  bright  one,  as  so  many  young  fellows  who,  having 
failed  to  pass,  enter  the  ranks  with  the  hope  of  getting  one 
some  day." 

Then  the  talk  turned  to  the  probable  course  of  the  war. 
The  two  officers  agreed  that  if  the  Boers  contented  themselves 
with  holding  the  passes  into  Natal,  and  threw  their  force, 
which  was  estimated  at  fifty  thousand,  in  five  divisions,  each 
ten  thousand  strong,  into  Cape  Colony,  they  could  sweep  the 
whole  country  up  to  Cape  Town  before  any  force  could  arrive 
from  England  to  arrest  their  progress,  and  that  in  their 
advance  their  numbers  would  probably  be  doubled  by  recruits 
from  the  discontented  portion  of  the  Dutch  population. 

"I  am  in  great  hopes  that  they  will  besiege  Kimberley," 
the  colonel  said.  "  Our  having  of  the  diamond  mines  there 
has  always  been  a  sore  point  with  the  Free  State,  and  one  of 
their  reasons  for  joining  the  Transvaal  undoubtedly  is  to 
obtain  possession,  which  I  feel  sure  they  will  not  do.  Then 
possibly  a  considerable  force  of  the  Transvaal  men  may  knock 
their  heads  against  Mafeking.  It  is  the  nearest  point  to  Pre- 
toria, and  it  was  from  there  that  the  Jameson  Eaid  started. 
They  may  take  that.  Baden-Powell,  who  is  a  first-rate  man, 
went  up  to  take  the  command  there  ten  days  ago.  He  is  sure 
to  defend  the  place  till  the  last,  but  even  if  he  does  but  hold 
out  for  a  fortnight,  the  time  gained  will  be  invaluable  to  us. 
Time  is  everything.  But  in  any  case,  I  fear  that  it  is  going 
to  be  a  very  big  job,  certainly  a  great  deal  bigger  than  any- 
thing we  have  had  since  the  mutiny. 

"  If  we  could  but  get  all  the  Boers  together,  fifty  thousand 
men  might  do  it.  As  it  is,  we  may  want  double  that  number, 
though  I  do  not  think  the  home  government  has  any  idea  that 
such  a  force  will  be  requisite.  We  made  the  usual  hideous 
mistake  of  not  being  ready,  and  the  still  greater  one  of  allow- 


70  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

ing  the  Boers  to  obtain  enormous  quantities  of  rifles  and  am- 
munition. When  our  government  were  first  warned  of  what 
was  going  on,  they  should  have  put  their  foot  down,  and  told 
Kruger  bluntly  that,  as  he  could  be  arming  in  this  tre- 
mendous manner  only  for  war  with  us,  we  should  not  allow 
the  importation  of  arms  into  the  colony." 

"  They  could  have  got  them  up  through  Lourenc,o  Mar- 
ques," the  major  said. 

"  Well,  then,  government  should  have  gone  a  step  further. 
They  should  have  told  Portugal  that,  although  we  did  not 
wish  to  quarrel  with  her,  we  insisted  upon  her  refusing  to 
allow  arms  to  be  landed  at  Lourengo  Marques,  that  we  should 
send  a  military  officer  as  our  consul  there  to  inspect  all  im- 
ports, and  that  we  should  station  a  ship  of  war  there  to  sup- 
port him,  as  it  would  be  impossible  for  us  to  allow  the  port  to 
be  used  as  a  centre  through  which  military  munitions,  in- 
tended to  be  some  day  used  against  us,  might  be  passed  up- 
country." 

"  But  if  Portugal  refused,  as  she  no  doubt  would,  to  submit 
to  such  a  high-handed  action,  she  would  probably  have  been 
supported  by  several  European  nations — certainly  by  France 
in  her  present  mood,  possibly  by  both  Russia  and  Germany." 

"  In  that  case,"  the  colonel  said,  "  we  should  have  had  two 
alternatives:  either  to  fight  the  lot  of  them  with  our  fleet, 
which  we  could  do;  or  else  to  send  five  thousand  men  up  into 
the  Transvaal  to  Komati  Poort,  and  so  to  prevent  the  arms 
entering  from  the  Portuguese  frontier.  The  Boers  were  then 
comparatively  unarmed,  and  if,  as  is  likely,  they  had  chosen 
to  fight,  we  should  have  had  a  fairly  easy  job.  The  Queen 
has  sovereign  rights  there,  and  it  is  no  great  stretch  of 
sovereign  rights  to  quarter  troops  in  the  country.  However, 
I  have  no  doubt  they  would  have  fought ;  after  our  surrender 
at  Majuba,  they  thought,  and  still  think,  themselves  invin- 
cible. But  the  affair  would  have  been  mere  child's  play  to 
what  it  will  be  at  present.  It  was  a  difficult  problem,  no 


THE  ULTIMATUM  71 

doubt,  for  a  British  ministry  to  face,  but  it  ought  to  have 
been  faced.  It  was  a  question  of  grasping  the  nettle.  With 
such  a  majority  as  they  have  got  behind  them,  stronger  men 
would  not  have  hesitated  to  do  so.  A  fire  can  be  put  out 
easily  enough  when  it  once  starts,  but  if  it  is  left  alone  till 
it  has  got  a  big  hold,  there  is  no  saying  what  may  happen 
when  there  is  a  strong  wind  blowing." 

"Now,  Hans,"  Yorke  said,  after  having  told  the  news  to 
his  follower,  "  you  have  to  do  credit  to  yourself  and  me,  to 
try  and  look  smart  when  you  are  in  uniform,  to  keep  those 
long  arms  of  yours  from  swinging  about,  to  hold  your  head 
up,  and  to  walk  briskly  and  smartly." 

"  I  will  do  my  best,  Master  Yorke,"  Hans  said  with  a  grin ; 
"  but  I  don't  think  I  shall  ever  look  like  those  soldiers  I  have 
seen  walking  about  the  street,  especially  those  chaps  with 
trousers  that  look  so  tight.  I  can't  make  out  how  they  can 
sit  down." 

"  Those  are  the  cavalry,  Hans ;  you  won't  be  expected  to 
look  like  them.  I  fancy  the  corps  here  wear  white  in  summer ; 
but  that  is  certainly  not  a  good  colour  for  campaigning,  and 
the  major  said  that  there  was  some  talk  of  dyeing  them  a  sort 
of  light  brown,  that  wouldn't  show  the  dirt,  and  would  not 
want  so  much  washing,  and,  above  all,  would  not  make  such 
a  conspicuous  mark  for  an  enemy.  It  is  the  same  sort  of 
colour  as  the  regular  troops  wear  here  in  summer,  and  I  ex- 
pect that  in  a  short  time  they  will  all  take  to  it  instead  of 
scarlet." 

"Well,  I  don't  care  nrach  how  they  dress  me,  so  long  as 
they  let  me  go  with  you,  Master  Yorke." 

After  going  to  the  head-quarters  of  the  corps,  and  being 
sworn  in,  Yorke  went  to  the  tailor  who  had  the  contract  for 
the  uniforms.  He  found  that  Major  Mackintosh  had  just 
come  in,  and  had  ordered  that  no  more  uniforms  should  be 
made  for  members  of  the  corps  until  they  heard  again  from 
him,  which  would  be  the  next  morning,  as  he  had  summoned 


72  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA. 

a  council  of  the  officers.  Yorke  and  Hans  were,  however, 
measured  and  the  tailor  promised  to  put  their  uniforms  in 
hand  directly  he  received  the  major's  instructions  to  go  on. 

Yorke  had  been  invited  by  the  adjutant  to  attend  the 
meeting  of  the  officers.  He  listened  to  the  discussion,  and, 
was  glad  to  learn  that  khaki  drill  was  generally  approved  of 
as  the  material  for  the  uniforms  of  the  corps,  to  be  used  with 
brown  belts  and  accoutrements,  and  wide-brimmed  felt  hats 
of  the  same  colour  as  the  coats.  He  was  introduced  to  the 
other  officers  by  Major  Mackintosh,  who  laughingly  told  them 
that  they  must  make  the  most  of  him,  as  Colonel  Pinker  ton 
had  requisitioned  him  for  service. 

The  following  morning  Hans  was  set  to  work  drilling  with 
a  batch  of  other  recruits.  This  was  not  necessary  in  Yorke's 
case,  as  he  had  for  two  years  been  a  member  of  the  Kugby 
Cadet  corps,  and  therefore  knew  as  much  of  drill  as  most 
of  the  officers.  Thus,  when  in  the  cool  of  the  evening  the 
whole  corps  turned  out,  he  was  able  to  play  his  new  part 
satisfactorily.  Colonel  Pinkerton  had  strolled  down  to  wit- 
ness the  drill.  The  gathering  was  a  very  motley  one,  for  the 
men  were  not  in  uniform,  and  all  classes  were  represented. 

"  I  was  glad  to  see  you  knew  your  work,"  the  colonel  said 
to  him  on  his  return.  "You  did  not  tell  me  that  you  knew 
anything  of  soldiering." 

"I  do  not  know  very  much,  sir;  but  I  was  a  member  of 
the  school  corps  for  two  years,  and  we  flattered  ourselves  we 
were  pretty  smart.  Of  course  many  of  the  fellows  were 
meant  for  the  army,  and  were  very  keen  about  it.  But  I 
think  we  all  took  a  good  deal  of  pride  in  drilling  well,  and 
though  I  was  not  an  officer,  of  course  I  knew  where  the  offi- 
cers should  be  placed  in  each  movement." 

"  Well,  you  will  not  want  it  much  while  you  are  with  me ; 
but  when  you  are  among  soldiers  it  is  as  well  to  be  able 
to  show  that  you  know  the  work  of  an  officer.  At  present 
there  is  no  idea  whatever  of  the  volunteers  going  to  the  front ; 
but  there  is  no  saying  what  may  take  place  in  the  course 


THE  ULTIMATUM  73 

of  a  few  weeks,  if  the  Boers  are  sharp  enough  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  situation." 

Three  days  later  Yorke  and  Hans  started  with  the  colonel 
up  the  line.  He  had  two  young  Engineer  officers  with  him. 
The  colonel's  two  horses  and  Yorke's  were  taken  in  a  truck 
under  the  charge  of  Hans  and  the  colonel's  soldier  servant. 
Trains  of  provisions  and  stores  for  Kimberley  and  Mafeking 
were  being  sent  up  rapidly,  and  depots  formed  at  several 
points  along  the  line.  It  had  not  been  deemed  prudent  to 
send  them  very  far  until  the  plans  of  the  Boers  were  apparent. 
The  horse-box  and  the  carriage  in  which  the  officers  travelled 
were  detached  from  the  train  at  points  that  were  considered 
important.  Here  they  remained  for  a  few  hours,  and  were 
then  attached  to  another  train.  While  the  colonel  and  his 
assistants  examined  the  culverts  and  bridges,  and  made  notes 
of  their  relative  importance,  Yorke  made  enquiries  from 
British  farmers  as  to  the  disposition  of  the  Dutch  population, 
and  Hans  resumed  the  clothes  in  which  he  had  left  the  farm, 
and,  under  pretext  of  looking  for  a  situation,  entered  into 
conversation  with  men  of  his  own  class. 

The  reports  naturally  varied  a  good  deal.  The  opinion  of 
the  English  colonists  was  that  although  the  Dutch  sympathies 
might  be  strongly  with  the  Transvaal  Boers,  few  of  them 
were  likely  to  take  any  active  steps  to  join  them,  unless  they 
invaded  the  Colony  in  great  force.  Many  of  the  young  men, 
however,  were  missing,  and  it  was  generally  believed  that 
they  had  started  to  join  their  kinsmen  in  the  Transvaal. 
Many  of  the  better  class  of  farmers  who  had  been  often  at 
Cape  Town,  where  not  a  few  of  them  had  received  their 
education,  were  much  better  acquainted  with  the  military 
power  of  Great  Britain  than  were  the  mass  of  the  Dutch 
population;  and  these,  whatever  their  sympathies  might  be, 
were  of  opinion  that  in  the  long  run  her  strength  must  over- 
power that  of  the  Boers,  and  that  an  enormous  amount  of 
suffering  and  damage  would  result.  They  admitted  that  they 
themselves  had  nothing  whatever  to  grumble  at  under  the 


74  WITH  BOBEETS  TO  PBETOBIA. 

British  flag,  and  acknowledged  that  the  government  of  the 
Transvaal  treated  the  Uitlander  population  there  in  a  very 
different  manner,  and  that  had  that  government  been  ready 
to  grant  the  same  treatment  to  them  as  the  Dutch  of  Cape 
Colony  enjoyed,  there  would  never  have  been  any  trouble. 

"I  think  it  all  means,"  the  colonel  said  one  day  when 
they  were  discussing  the  reports  brought  in,  "  that  if  we 
thrash  the  Boers  the  Colony  will  remain  quiet;  if  they  gain 
any  big  success,  the  greater  portion  of  the  Dutch  here  will 
join  them.  But  no  doubt  there  will  be  trouble  in  getting  the 
trains  through;  it  is  impossible  to  guard  such  an  enormous 
length  of  line.  The  utmost  that  can  be  done  will  be  to  have 
detachments  posted  at  all  the  bridges  whose  destruction 
would  cause  serious  delay.  We  can  hardly  doubt  that  rails 
will  be  pulled  up  and  culverts  destroyed,  for  this  can  be  done 
by  two  or  three  men  working  at  night.  But  of  course  each 
train  going  up  will  carry  a  few  rails  and  a  couple  of  balks 
of  timber,  tools,  and  three  or  four  railway  men,  and  the 
repairs  can  be  executed  with  only  a  very  short  delay." 

Four  days  after  starting  the  party  arrived  at  De  Aar,  which 
had  been  selected  as  the  most  favourable  position  as  a  base. 
At  this  place  a  line  of  railway  from  Port  Elizabeth  joined 
that  from  Cape  Town.  Seventy  or  eighty  miles  down  the 
Port  Elizabeth  line  were  junctions  at  Naauwpoort  and  Mid- 
delburg  Road,  the  former  with  the  main  line  running  up 
through  the  Orange  Free  State  to  Pretoria  and  Pietersburg, 
the  latter  joining  the  line  from  East  London  at  Stormberg, 
north  of  which  was  a  branch  to  Aliwal  North,  and  another 
crossing  the  Orange  River  at  Bethulie,  and  joining  the  main 
Orange  Free  State  line  at  Springfontein.  Whatever  might 
be  the  intention  of  the  Dutch  later  on,  so  far  there  had  been 
no  attempts  whatever  to  meddle  with  the  railway.  The 
waggon  trains  loaded  with  stores  went  up  in  rapid  succession, 
and  on  their  way  met  almost  as  many  crowded  with  refugees 
from  the  Transvaal,  the  Free  State,  and  Kimberley. 

Miners  and  store-keepers,  millionaires  and  mechanics,  were 


THE  ULTIMATUM  75 

closely  packed,  with  little  distinction  of  rank,  and  Yorke  and 
his  fellow-officers  frequently  expressed  their  disgust  that  so 
many  able-bodied  men  should  be  flying,  when  on  crossing  the 
frontier  they  might  well  have  gone  to  Kimberley,  Colesberg, 
and  other  places  to  take  part  in  the  defence  of  the  towns. 
The  first  blow  had  been  struck.  An  armour-plated  train 
going  up  to  Mafeking  had  on  the  12th  been  fired  at  with  guns 
and  derailed.  Lieutenant  Nesbit  and  the  soldiers  with  him 
had  defended  themselves  gallantly,  but  had  at  last  been 
obliged  to  surrender.  From  Natal  the  telegrams  were  of  a  still 
more  exciting  nature.  The  invasion  of  that  colony  began  a 
few  hours  before  the  ultimatum  expired,  and  it  was  ex- 
pected that  the  force  under  General  Penn  Symons  would  be 
attacked  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two. 

The  Loyal  North  Lancashires  had  passed  them  the  day 
after  they  started.  Four  companies  had  gone  on  to  Kim- 
berley, the  rest  had  encamped  at  Orange  Kiver  station. 

Many  mules  and  trek  oxen  had  been  sent  up,  and  large 
numbers  of  Kaffirs,  and  the  station  at  De  Aar  presented  a 
busy  scene.  Wooden  sheds  had  already  been  erected  by  the 
Engineers,  and  these  were  being  filled  with  the  more  perish- 
able articles,  such  as  sugar  and  tea;  stacks  of  bags  of  flour 
and  mealies,  and  of  cases  of  tinned  meat,  were  rising  in  the 
open,  while  everywhere  were  piles  of  stores  of  all  kinds  lying 
just  where  they  had  been  thrown  from  the  trucks  on  the 
sidings.  An  hour  after  Yorke's  arrival  the  colonel  was  oc- 
cupied in  fixing  on  a  site  for  a  battery.  This  was  selected  on 
the  top  of  a  rising  mound  near  the  station,  and  from  this 
the  guns,  when  placed  in  position,  would  sweep  the  surround- 
ing country.  Tents  were  pitched  for  the  party,  and  in  these 
they  speedily  settled  down. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Harberton,"  the  colonel  said  that  evening,  "  it 
does  not  seem  to  me  that  at  present  I  have  any  occasion  for 
your  services  here.  We  shall  trace  the  lines  of  the  fort  to- 
morrow morning;  a  train  with  four  hundred  Kaffirs  will 
arrive  this  evening,  and  we  shall  get  to  work  by  breakfast 


76  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

time.  Then  one  officer  and  a  couple  of  the  sappers  will  be 
sufficient  to  look  after  them,  while  we  shall  attend  to  getting 
things  in  readiness  for  the  arrival  of  more  troops.  So  far  the 
railway  between  this  and  Kimberley  is  still  open,  but  it  is 
certain  that  it  will  not  be  so  for  long.  I  think  you  can 
be  most  usefully  employed  in  riding  through  Philipstown  and 
Petrusville,  and  scouting  between  Zoutpans  Drift  and  thence 
to  Hondeblafs  River  and  Colesberg  Bridge. 

"  Between  these  places  there  is,  so  far  as  I  know,  no  ford, 
and  we  may  assume  that  if  the  Free  State  men  cross  in  any 
strength  it  will  be  at  one  or  other  of  these  points;  but  small 
parties  may  possibly  swim  the  river  and  attempt  to  cut  the 
line  north.  At  any  rate,  it  is  well  that  we  should  learn  what 
is  going  on,  and  get  early  information  of  the  movements  of 
any  of  the  enemy's  parties.  I  am  in  hopes  that  no  combined 
advance  on  their  part  will  take  place  till  we  have  got  our  guns 
mounted,  for  at  present  we  are  certainly  not  in  a  position  to 
offer  any  serious  resistance  to  an  attacking  force.  For- 
tunately the  Free  State  men  are  not  as  well  prepared  for  a 
contest  as  the  Transvaalers,  and  we  know  by  the  fugitives 
who  have  come  down  that  very  many  of  them  are  altogether 
opposed  to  Steyn's  policy.  Moreover,  it  is  probable  that  they 
will  direct  their  first  effort  against  Kimberley;  but  it  is  as 
well  to  be  forewarned. 

"  You  can,  of  course,  if  you  think  proper,  cross  the  Orange 
River  in  your  Dutch  disguise  and  gather  news  there.  We  can 
get  very  little  reliable  information  from  the  fugitives,  they 
seem  to  have  swallowed  every  wild  report  in  circulation;  and 
if  we  were  to  credit  their  accounts  we  should  believe  that  at 
least  a  hundred  thousand  Free  Staters — that  is  to  say,  pretty 
nearly  every  adult  male — were  already  under  arms  and  on  the 
march  for  the  frontier.  I  have  no  faith  whatever  in  such 
reports.  I  believe  it  far  more  likely  that,  as  fast  as  they  can 
be  organized,  a  portion  will  march  on  Kimberley,  but  that 
their  main  force  will  go  down  through  the  passes  in  the 
Drakenberg  to  join  the  Transvaal  force  in  Natal.  That4  I 


SCOUTING  77 

think,  is  the  point  upon  which  they  are  concentrating  their 
attention  at  present,  and  they  intend  to  sweep  us  out  of  that 
colony  before  they  undertake  any  serious  operations  on  this 
side.  I  think  you  may  as  well  start  in  the  morning." 


CHAPTEE  V 

SCOUTING 

I  SUPPOSE  you  are  feeling  more  comfortable,  Hans," 
Yorke  said  as  they  cantered  away  from  the  camp  on 
the  following  morning. 

"  I  don't  know,  Master  Yorke ;  I  was  getting  accustomed  to 
the  uniform,  and  these  things  feel  a  bit  loose,  as  if  I  could 
shake  myself  out  of  them." 

"I  feel  a  good  deal  the  same,  Hans." 

"And  so  you  propose  going  to  the  Free  State,  master? 
I  think  it  is  just  as  well  that  Dirck  Jansen  is  laid  up  with 
that  wound  you  gave  him;  if  he  hadn't  been,  I  am  sure  he 
would  have  mounted  and  ridden  to  join  Steyn's  men  directly 
war  was  declared,  and  it  would  have  been  very  bad  if  you  had 
run  against  him." 

"Very  bad  indeed,  though  I  did  not  think  of  him  at  all. 
Yes,  it  is  unfortunate  now  that  I  am  known  to  so  many  of 
the  Dutch  farmers  round  Richmond  and  Brakpoort.  I  should 
say  a  good  many  of  them  will  have  joined  the  enemy.  I  don't 
suppose  they  ever  noticed  me  very  particularly,  for  I  always 
kept  out  of  the  way  as  much  as  possible  when  they  came,  as 
I  could  not  put  up  with  their  abuse  of  the  English;  still, 
some  of  them  might  recognize  me.  There  is  one  thing,  I 
always  wore  the  shooting  suits  that  I  brought  out  from  home; 
and  these  Dutch  clothes  I  bought  at  Cape  Town,  when  I  knew 
the  work  I  might  have  to  do,  have  altered  my  appearance 
a  good  deal.  I  wish  now  that  I  had  thought  of  buying 


78  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

three  or  four  of  those  wisps  of  long  hair  that  one  sees  in  the 
hairdressers'  shops  there;  if  I  had  fastened  them  inside  my 
hat,  so  as  to  fall  down  all  round  on  to  my  shoulders,  it  would 
have  altered  my  appearance,  just  as  cutting  your  hair  short 
has  changed  you.  I  should  have  looked  like  a  rough  young 
Dutch  farmer  from  one  of  the  country  districts." 

They  rode  on  a  little  farther  without  speaking,  and  then 
he  went  on  suddenly: 

"  I  have  an  idea,  Hans — our  horses'  tails  are  about  the  same 
colour.  We  might  very  well  cut  off  about  nine  inches;  that 
would  give  plenty  of  hair  for  our  purpose.  The  only  trouble 
would  be  fastening  it  into  one's  hat.  We  will  stop  at  farm- 
houses as  we  go  along,  and  when  we  get  to  an  English  settler's 
I  will  borrow  a  needle  and  thread  from  his  wife.  I  will  take 
out  the  inside  lining  of  the  hat,  sew  the  hair  in  all  round, 
except  just  in  front,  and  then  sew  the  lining  on  to  it.  That 
will  keep  it  all  tight." 

Hans  laughed. 

"  It  will  make  you  look  very  much  like  what  I  was  before 
I  visited  the  barber.  No  one  would  recognize  you." 

The  third  house  at  which  they  stopped  they  found  to  be 
an  English  settler's.  As  they  rode  to  the  door,  they  were 
in  the  usual  hospitable  way  asked  to  come  in  and  have  some- 
thing to  eat. 

"  I  am  English  like  yourself,"  Torke  said,  "  and  am  serving 
as  an  officer  with  the  force  at  De  Aar,  and  I  am  going  scout- 
ing to  gather  news  of  any  movement  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Orange  River.  I  may  cross  and  go  farther,  but  as  I  have 
been  living  for  some  time  near  Richmond,  I  may  run  against 
some  of  the  rebel  Dutch  who  have  gone  to  join  them,  so  I 
want  to  disguise  myself." 

"  Come  in,  sir ;  we  will  do  anything  we  can.  When  I  saw 
you  riding  up,  I  certainly  took  you  both  at  first  for  Dutch- 
men, but  I  see  now  that  you  are  far  more  clean  and  fresh- 
looking  than  they  generally  are." 

"  Have  many  Dutch  joined  them  from  the  colony  ? " 


SCOUTING  79 

^Not  so  many  about  here;  but  farther  on  they  say  a 
good  many  have  gone  from  Colesberg  and  that  district.  But 
most  of  them  are  waiting  for  the  Boer  advance,  then  I  think 
the  greater  portion  of  them  will  join ;  from  all  I  hear,  it  is  an 
arranged  thing,  and  the  Boers  reckon  confidently  on  being 
joined  everywhere  by  their  own  people.  I  am  going  to  start 
to-morrow  for  De  Aar,  and  shall  sell  all  my  cattle  there,  for 
if  the  Boers  come,  they  will  be  sure  to  carry  them  all  off.  I 
hear  the  commissariat  are  buying  them  up  for  the  use  of  the 
troops,  and  are  giving  fair  prices  for  them,  so  I  shall  be  no 
loser  by  it;  and  I  shall  sell  my  horses  to  them  also.  I  have 
not  got  many  sheep,  but  what  I  have  I  shall  get  rid  of,  then 
we  will  shut  up  the  house,  put  the  best  part  of  our  belongings 
into  a  waggon,  and  travel  down  quietly  to  Port  Elizabeth,  and 
wait  there  till  the  business  is  over,  and  if  we  find  it  likely  to 
last,  we  shall  go  home  for  a  holiday.  It  is  fifteen  years  since 
we  came  out  here,  and  we  have  been  talking1  of  going  to  see 
the  old  folk  for  some  time,  so  if  I  get  a  fair  price  for  the 
animals,  it  would  suit  us  very  well." 

They  were  now  in  the  house,  and  after  taking  a  cup  of 
coffee  and  some  cold  meat  and  bread,  Yorke  explained  what 
he  wanted.  The  colonist's  wife  was  much  amused  at  the 
idea,  and  undertook  at  once  to  do  the  sewing.  Armed  with  a 
large  pair  of  scissors,  Yorke  cut  off  about  ten  inches  of  the 
horses'  tails.  While  he  had  been  doing  this,  the  woman  had 
cut  the  lining  out  from  the  hat.  The  horse-hair  was  then 
distributed  equally  round  it,  and  she  was  about  to  begin  sew- 
ing it  in  when  her  husband  said :  "  Wait  a  bit,  Jenny ;  I  will 
put  my  glue-pot  on  the  fire.  The  glue  will  hold  the  hair 
better  than  any  amount  of  sewing,  and  if  a  bit  happened  to 
work  out,  it  would  look  very  awkward." 

"  That  would  be  capital,"  Yorke  said.  "  I  had  my  doubts 
whether  sewing  would  be  sufficient,  but  there  is  no  fear  that 
glue  will  fail  to  hold." 

Accordingly  the  glue  was  heated,  and  a  band  of  it  two 
inches  wide  laid  on  round  the  inside  of  the  hat.  Then  the 


80  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PEETOBIA 

hair  was  pressed  into  this,  and  the  lining  sewn  in  its  place 
again.  Yorke  put  on  his  hat,  and,  looking  in  a  glass,  joined 
in  the  hearty  laughter  of  Hans  and  the  colonist.  The  ap- 
pearance of  the  hair  was  perfectly  natural,  as  it  fell  on  to  the 
collar  of  his  coat  in  thick  masses. 

"  It  is  capital,"  the  man  said.  "  I.  am  sure  no  one  would 
suspect  that  it  was  not  real,  except  that,  if  they  looked  into  it, 
they  might  think  it  was  coarser  than  usual;  but  it  is  just 
the  way  many  of  the  Boers  wear  their  hair,  and  it  certainly 
changes  your  appearance  altogether.  Your  face  might  be  all 
the  better  for  being  a  little  more  dirty,  but  it  is  sunburnt, 
and  will  pass  very  well;  only,  you  will  have  to  bear  in  mind 
never  to  take  off  your  hat." 

"I  think  I  shall  remember  that,"  Yorke  replied.  "The 
Dutch  farmers  seldom  do  take  off  their  hats  even  indoors." 

"I  don't  think  that  even  Dirck  Jansen  would  recognize 
you,  Master  Yorke,"  Hans  said,  "  after  always  seeing  you  in 
what  you  call  your  Norfolk  jacket  and  short  gray  breeches 
and  stockings.  He  would  not  know  even  your  figure.  You 
used  to  look  slim,  but  in  that  rough  coat,  fitting  so  loosely, 
your  big  trousers,  and  high  boots,  you  look  different  alto- 
gether. I  am  sure  that  if  I  had  met  you,  without  knowing 
that  you  had  disguised  yourself,  I  should  not  have  recognized 
you." 

"You  would  look  all  the  better  for  having  your  eyebrows 
darkened  a  little,"  the  woman  said.  "  Your  hair  is  much 
darker,  and  that  would  help  to  change  your  expression." 

The  farmer  found  a  cork,  and  after  burning  it,  darkened 
Yorke's  eyebrows  and  eyelashes,  thereby  greatly  altering  the 
expression  of  his  face. 

"I  will  put  that  in  my  pocket,"  Yorke  said,  taking  the 
cork,  "  then  I  can  touch  my  eyebrows  up  from  time  to  time 
as  it  wears  off." 

After  many  thanks  to  his  host  and  hostess,  he  again 
mounted  with  Hans,  and  rode  off,  feeling  confident  now  that 
he  could  mix  with  the  Boers  without  fear  of  detection.  Two 


SCOUTING  81 

days  were  spent  in  following  the  river  on  the  line  that  he  had 
been  directed  to  take,  and  questioning  the  Kaffirs,  of  whom 
several  bands  were  found  living  in  little  huts  on  its  banks. 
They  had  seen  no  parties  of  men,  nor,  although  news  travelled 
fast  among  the  natives,  had  they  heard  of  any  large  gathering. 
On  arriving  at  Zoutpans  Drift  they  saw  four  Boers  on  the 
other  side,  evidently  placed  there  as  patrols.  Yorke  did  not 
hesitate,  but  went  boldly  across. 

"  Where  do  you  come  from  ? "  one  of  the  men  asked  in 
Dutch,  entertaining  no  doubt  whatever  that  he  was  a  young 
Boer  farmer  come  to  join. 

"  Our  farm  is  a  few  miles  from  Richmond.  I  hope  we  are 
in  time  for  the  fighting.  Has  it  begun  yet  ?  " 

"  Not  here,  though  there  have  been  a  few  shots  fired  round 
Kimberley.  But  a  big  force  is  going  down  by  Van  Keenans 
Pass  to  help  Joubert  drive  the  Rooineks  into  the  sea." 

"  That  is  just  the  job  I  should  like  to  join  in." 

"  Well,  I  expect  you  will  be  in  time.     By  now,  no  doubt, 

they  will  have  finished  with  the  Rooineks  at  Dundee.    Then 

they  will  wipe  out  those  at  Ladysmith,   and  after  that  it 

will  be  an  easy  job,  for  there  are  no  soldiers  to  speak  of  at 

|  Maritzburg.  We  shall  make  an  end  of  them  all  this  time,  and 

;  it  will  be  Africa  for  the  Africanders,  and  no  English  allowed 

j  here.    Another  party  will  be  crossing  at  Bethulie  in  a  day  or 

two.     All  our  people  in  that  district  are  ready  to  join  as  soon 

as  they  do  so ;  but  there  won't  be  any  fighting  there,  for  there 

are  very  few  troops  at  Port  Elizabeth,  and  I  expect  they  will 

embark  in  their  ships  directly  they  hear  that  we  are  coming. 

What  are  they  doing  out  your  side  ?  " 

"  Not  much  at  present.  I  hear  a  talk  that  more  troops  are 
coming  out;  but  it  is  a  long  way  off,  three  weeks'  voyage,  I 
heard." 

"  As  much  as  that  ?  "  the  other  said  in  surprise ;  "  I  thought 
England  was  close  to  the  Cape.  I  am  sorry  to  hear  that,  for 
I  had  made  up  my  mind  that  after  we  had  driven  them  out 
from  here,  we  should  go  and  take  their  country,  just  as  they; 

(M839)  , 


82  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

have  tried  to  take  ours ;  there  would  be  good  pickings  for  us 
•all." 

"  Grand  pickings,"  Yorke  agreed. 

"  Well,"  the  other  went  on,  "  I  suppose  we  can  get  ships. 
France  and  Russia  and  Germany  are  all  going  to  join  us,  and 
will  be  glad  enough  to  arrange  with  us  to  send  ships  if  we 
undertake  to  do  the  fighting." 

"No  doubt  they  will  be  glad  to  do  so,"  Yorke  said, 
"  Though  I  am  ready  to  fight,  I  do  not  think  I  should  care 
for  the  voyage.  They  say  that  people  who  go  on  board  ships 
for  the  first  time  are  always  ill." 

"  Well,  we  shall  manage  it  somehow,"  the  other  answered. 

"No  doubt;  but  I  must  be  riding  on.  I  shall  go  on  to 
Bloemfontein,  and  I  fancy  I  shall  join  the  Natal  force  rather 
than  the  Colesberg  one.  I  am  reckoned  a  good  shot  in  my 
district,  and  it  is  no  use  having  a  rifle  and  bandolier  if  one 
is  not  going  to  use  them." 

'So  saying  he  touched  his  horse  with  his  heel  and  rode  off. 
Hans  had  been  talking  with  the  others. 

"  Why  have  you  cut  your  hair  off  ? "  one  asked. 

"  Because  it  will  save  trouble,"  Hans  replied,  "  and  besides 
it  is  cooler,  and  we  shall  have  it  hotter  down  in  Natal  than  it 
is  here;  my  hat,  too,  was  rather  tight,  and  it  makes  a  lot  of 
difference  getting  rid  of  your  hair.  If  we  had  gone  through 
Richmond,  I  might  have  got  a  bigger  hat  there,  and  let  my 
hair  stay  on.  As  it  was,  it  was  easier  to  cut  it  off  and  ha\ 
done  with  it." 

Yorke  had  told  Hans  to  talk  as  much  as  possible,  while 
himself  said  no  more  than  was  necessary.    No  one  coi 
doubt  for  a  moment  that  his  follower  was  what  he  lool 
and  his  being  so  would  divert  any  suspicion  from  himsel 
They  slept  that  night  at  Fauresmith.     The  little  town 
crowded  with  men  who  had  come  in  in  obedience  to  01 
After  some  difficulty  they  secured  a  room  and  then  went 
and  mingled  in  the  throng.    It  was  easy  to  see  that  there 
considerable  difference  of  opinion  among  the  men. 


THE   LITTLE   TOWN   WAS   CROWDED   WITH   MEN. 


SCOUTING  83 

were  noisy  and  boastful,  but  the  majority  were  undoubtedly 
there  against  their  will,  and  when  these  gathered  quietly  to- 
gether angry  words  were  spoken  against  Steyn,  who  had, 
without  the  consent  of  the  great  body  of  burghers,  plunged 
the  country  into  war  and  caused  them  to  be  dragged  from 
their  homes  and  families. 

"  We  have  no  quarrel  whatever  with  Britain,"  one  said, 
"  and  she  has  never  interfered  with  us  in  the  slightest.  Eng- 
lishmen have  always  been  welcome  among  us.  We  have  noth- 
ing to  do  with  the  Transvaal  quarrel.  Why  shouldn't  the 
Uitlanders  have  a  vote,  as  our  people  have  in  Natal  and  Cape 
Colony  ?  Kruger  has  been  working  for  it  for  years,  and  if — 
as  he  says,  and  those  fellows  who  are  shouting  over  there 
think — we  can  drive  all  the  British  out,  it  is  the  Transvaal 
people  who  will  have  all  the  power.  We  know  how  Kruger's 
gang  has  piled  up  money  by  monopolies.  If  the  British  go, 
it  is  we  who  will  have  to  pay  the  taxes,  and  if  there  is  to  be 
any  change,  I  would  rather  a  thousand  times  come  under 
British  rule  than  under  the  Transvaal." 

"You  are  right,  Friedrich,"  another  said.  "If  they  had 
not  said  I  should  be  shot  if  I  did  not  come  with  them  I 
should  not  be  here  to-day.  They  have  taken  my  son  as  well  as 
me,  and  who  is  to  look  after  the  farm  while  I  am  away  ? " 

"  Besides,"  another  put  in,  "  if  we  drive  the  British  out, 
who  is  going  to  keep  stores?  Where  are  we  going  to  buy 
what  we  want  ?  There  is  scarce  a  place  that  is  not  kept  by  an 
Uitlander.  What  do  we  know  of  such  matters?  Where  are 
we  going  to  buy  the  goods  to  fill  the  shops  ?  Besides,  it  is  not 
in  our  way.  We  are  farmers  and  not  shopkeepers.  I  consider 
it  a  bad  business  altogether,  and  there  are  many  of  us  who 
would  rather  put  a  bullet  into  Steyn  than  into  these  English- 
men, who  have  done  us  no  harm." 

Yorke  found  that  the  commando  was  going  on  to  Edenburg, 
then  by  train  across  the  Orange  River  at  Bethulie  into  Cape 
Colony,  where,  they  were  told,  every  Dutchman  would  join 
them,  for,  except  in  Colesberg  and  some  other  towns,  there 


84  WITH  ROBEKTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

were  very  few  English  in  the  district.  He  gathered  that  all 
the  other  commandos  in  the  district  were  to  move  in  the 
same  direction,  while  those  on  the  north  and  west  were  to 
go  to  Kimberley.  There  was  no  talk  whatever  of  any  large 
body  going  west.  As  darkness  came  on,  the  streets  began 
to  empty,  some  of  the  men  going  into  houses  where  they  had 
obtained  lodging,  but  the  majority,  wrapping  themselves  up, 
law  down  by  the  side  of  their  horses.  Hans  went  into  a  store 
and  bought  some  bread  and  cheese,  for  they  had  finished  the 
things  they  had  brought  with  them  before  they  had  crossed 
the  river  that  morning1. 

"We  will  go  back  to-morrow  the  first  thing,"  Yorke  said 
when  they  had  finished  their  meal  in  their  room.  "It  is 
quite  evident  that  they  have  no  idea  at  present  of  any 
attack  in  force  on  De  Aar.  It  will  not  do  for  us  to  cross  at 
Zoutpans  Drift;  there  would  be  no  inventing  a  probable  tale 
to  account  for  our  movements;  and  it  will  be  a  great  waste 
of  time  to  go  down  to  Bethulie.  There  is  the  bridge  near 
Colesberg,  but  that  is  a  good  bit  out  of  our  way,  and  very 
likely  that  will  be  guarded  too.  I  was  wrong  not  to  have 
brought  with  me  my  English  clothes,  then  I  could  have  said 
that  I  was  an  English  refugee  from  Bloemfontein,  and  there 
would  have  been  no  hindrance  to  our  passing.  As  it  is,  I 
think  we  must  make  up  our  minds  to  swim  the  Orange  River. 
As  we  came  along  the  banks  there  were  several  places  where 
the  land  sloped  gradually  down  to  the  water's  edge  on  both 
sides.  It  was  the  case  two  or  three  miles  below  the  drift, 
and  we  will  make  for  that  point.  We  can  follow  the  road  for 
some  distance  without  much  risk  of  meeting  anyone,  for  it  is 
evident  that  the  greater  portion  of  the  men  have  been  com- 
mandeered, and  the  few  who  remain  will  have  plenty  to  do  on 
the  farms.  If  we  should  have  the  bad  luck  to  fall  in  with 
some  small  party,  I  can  give  out  that  I  am  carrying  orders 
from  the  field  cornet  for  the  men  at  the  drift  to  be  very  watch- 
ful, and  if  a  British  force  is  seen  on  the  other  side  they  are  to 
ride  off  at  once  and  bring  the  news  here,  and  then  telegraph 


SCOUTING  85 

it  to  Bloemfontein.  I  do  not  know,  by  the  way,  whether  that 
story  would  not  pass  us  across  the  drift.  I  could  say  that 
the  field  cornet,  whose  name  we  luckily  heard,  said  that  we 
could  do  better  service  at  present  by  crossing  the  drift  and 
scouting  on  the  other  side  than  in  going  on,  as  there  was 
not  likely  to  be  any  fighting  at  present,  especially  as  the  train 
would  certainly  be  so  full  at  Edenburg  that  he  would  not  be 
able  to  carry  on  his  whole  commando." 

Hans  nodded.  "All  right,  Master  Yorke,  I  would  rather 
do  that  than  swim  the  river,  for  I  never  swam  a  stroke  in  my 
life.  I  am  told  you  can  cross  rivers  like  that  by  holding  on 
by  saddles  or  horses'  tails,  but  I  have  no  wish  to  try  it." 

"  Well,  we  will  start  the  first  thing  in  the  morning,  before 
the  Boers  are  about.  They  have  not  a  very  long  march  before 
them  and  are  not  to  start  till  eight.  We  will  be  off  at  day- 
light." 

Going  downstairs  he  told  the  woman  of  the  house  that  he 
would  pay  her  at  once  as  he  had  to  be  off  early.  The  horses 
had  been  fastened  up  in  a  little  yard  at  the  back  of  the  inn, 
and  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  them  out.  Matters 
turned  out  as  Yorke  had  hoped.  The  town  was  still  asleep 
when  they  started,  and  although  they  met  two  or  three  Boers 
riding  at  full  gallop  to  join  the  commando  on  the  march, 
these  paid  no  attention  to  them.  Fortunately,  at  the  drift, 
the  men  who  had  spoken  to  them  the  evening  before  had  been 
relieved  by  others. 

"  Who  are  you,  and  where  are  you  going  ? "  one  of  the  men 
asked. 

Hans  as  usual  acted  as  spokesman.  "  We  are  going  scout- 
ing on  the  other  side.  Field  Cornet  Hatjens  said  that  the 
train  from  Edenburg  would  not  be  able  to  carry  all  his  com- 
mando, and  that  some  will  stop  at  Fauresmith  for  another 
day  or  two.  As  we  said  we  wanted  to  be  doing  something, 
he  ordered  us  to  ride  here  and  scout  towards  the  railway, 
and  see  if  any  trains  with  Eooineks  were  going  north,  and 
especially  if  guards  are  stationed  along  the  line.  I  don't 


86     .  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

suppose  we  shall  find  out  much,  but  it  will  be  something 
to  do,  and  we  shall  have  time,  I  expect,  to  join  the  others 
before  they  start.  If  we  get  any  news  it  will  be  telegraphed 
from  Fauresmith  to  Bloemfontein."  Then,  as  if  no  further 
parley  was  necessary,  they  rode  on  into  the  water  and  were 
soon  on  the  other  side. 

It  was  a  long  day's  ride  to  De  Aar,  but  they  got  there  late 
in  the  evening,  and  Yorke  went  at  once  to  the  colonel's  tent 
to  report. 

"  Can  I  come  in,  sir  ? "  he  said  as  he  reached  the  opening  of 
the  tent. 

"  Certainly,  Harberton.  Hullo !  "  he  broke  off  as  the  light 
fell  upon  Yorke's  face.  "  Why,  what  have  you  been  doing  to 
yourself  ?  I  recognized  your  voice  at  once,  but  if  you  had  not 
spoken  I  certainly  should  not  have  known  you." 

Yorke  took  off  his  hat. 

"  A  wig !  "  the  colonel  exclaimed.  "  Where  on  earth  did 
you  get  hold  of  it  ? " 

"  It  is  horse-hair,  sir,"  Yorke  replied,  handing  him  the  hat 
to  be  examined.  "  I  thought  it  possible  that  I  might  be  rec- 
ognized by  some  of  the  Dutch  who  knew  me  when  I  was  at 
the  farm,  so  I  cut  a  good  bit  of  hair  off  both  of  the  horses' 
tails,  and  got  an  English  colonist's  wife  to  make  the  hat  up  as 
you  see." 

"  An  excellent  plan,"  the  colonel  said,  examining  it. 
"Naturally,  it  is  coarser  than  it  ought  to  be,  but  many  of 
the  Boers  have  very  coarse  hair,  and  the  difference  would 
not  be  observed  in  a  casual  inspection.  It  would  certainly 
pass  excellently  after  dark." 

"  It  passed  well  yesterday  at  Fauresmith." 

"  At  Fauresmith !  "  the  officer  repeated  in  surprise. 

"Yes,  sir.  Finding  that  I  could  obtain  no  intelligence  of 
any  kind  this  side  of  the  river,  we  crossed  at  Zoutpans  Drift 
and  went  into  Fauresmith,  which  was  full  of  Dutch,  a  com- 
mando having  assembled  there.  We  mingled  with  them  two 
or  three  hours  and  no  one  paid  the  slightest  attention  to  us." 


SCOUTING  87 

"  You  have  done  well  indeed ;  but  before  you  tell  me  what 
news  you  have  gathered,  I  will  point  out  to  you  that  no  doubt 
these  men  were  all  bent  on  discussing  the  work  upon  which 
they  were  going  to  be  engaged,  and  would  scarce  give  a 
casual  glance  at  a  stranger,  and  that  although  your  hair 
might  pass  unnoticed  there  among  them,  it  would  hardly 
be  so  were  you  entering  any  place  where  you  might  be  ob- " 
served  with  suspicious  attention.  I  think  that  the  idea  of 
a  wig  is  an  excellent  one,  and  I  should  advise  you  to  write 
down  at  once  to  Major  Mackintosh,  and  ask  him  to  go  to 
the  cleverest  hairdresser  in  Cape  Town  and  get  him  to  make 
a  wig  imitating  the  long  hair  worn  by  the  Dutch.  Say  that 
it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  it  should  be  as  indis- 
tinguishable from  the  real  thing  as  possible,  as  your  life 
might  depend  upon  its  being  undetected.  He  had  best  send 
it  up  directed  to  me,  as  you  might  be  away." 

"  I  will  do  so,  sir.  I  should  not  generally  wear  it,  for  most 
of  the  men  I  saw  at  Fauresmith  had  their  hair  quite  as  short 
as  mine;  many  of  them  had  almost  a  close  crop.  As  we 
get  farther  north  the  chances  of  my  meeting  any  of  the  men 
from  round  Kichmond  would  grow  smaller,  so  there  would  be 
no  occasion  to  alter  my  appearance ;  and  there  would  always 
be  some  danger  of  the  wig  going  wrong.  Still,  I  will  certainly 
get  one;  it  could  be  wrapped  up  very  small,  and  if  I  should 
get  into  a  mess,  and  they  were  hunting  for  me,  it  would 
change  my  appearance  altogether  if  I  could  slip  it  on." 

"  It  certainly  would  do  so ;  but  I  do  not  think  that  you  will 
be  called  upon  to  go  in  disguise  when  we  once  move  on.  We 
shall,  of  course,  then  have  scouting  parties  ahead,  and  we 
shall  get  information  from  the  Kaffirs,  and  sometimes,  per- 
haps, from  well-disposed  colonists.  And  now,  please  tell  me 
all  about  your  journey,  and  what  you  have  discovered. 

"  That  is  most  satisfactory  news — most  satisfactory.  This 
is  the  most  important  point  at  present.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  in  a  day  or  two  all  communication  with  Kimberley 
will  be  cut. off,  and  this  place  will  become  the  base  of  our 


88  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

advance  for  its  relief.  An  immense  amount  of  stores  must 
be  collected  here  before  we  can  move  forward.  No  doubt 
small  bodies  of  Boers  will  be  hovering  about,  but  they  are 
not  likely  to  make  an  attack;  and  indeed  I  doubt  if  any  force 
could  do  so  successfully.  Still,  it  is  a  great  thing  not  to 
be  obliged  to  spend  half  our  strength  on  erecting  strong  earth- 
works, and  to  feel  that  we  can  work  in  security.  At  the 
same  time,  I  am  sorry  that  they  are  evidently  going  to  invade 
the  colony  south  of  the  Orange  River.  From  what  I  have 
heard,  the  Dutch  population  round  Colesberg,  Steynsburg, 
and  Stormberg  are  likely  to  join  them  almost  to  a  man.  The 
country  is  mountainous,  and  it  will  be  difficult  to  drive  them 
out  of  it. 

"  Round  Aliwal  North  a  considerable  portion  of  the  popu- 
lation is  British.  They  may  be  able  to  hold  their  own ;  but  if 
they  cannot  do  so,  they  are  sure  to  suffer  heavily  at  the  hands 
of  the  Boers,  who  will  certainly  combine  plunder  with  patriot- 
ism. Among  them  there  are  a  considerable  number  of  Irish 
and  American  Irish,  Germans,  French,  and  Hollanders,  ad- 
venturers of  the  worst  kind,  whom  high  pay  and  the  hope  of 
plunder  have  attracted,  together  with  a  miscellaneous  riff-raff 
of  the  lowest  class  from  the  mining  centres.  The  country 
Boers  will  be  rough  and  vindictive  enough,  you  may  be  sure, 
but  this  foreign  scum  will  be  infinitely  worse ;  still,  I  have  no 
doubt  some  of  the  troops  as  they  arrive  will  be  sent  on  to 
Port  Elizabeth,  and  will,  we  may  hope,  be  able  to  make  head 
against  them. 

"  By  the  way,  we  had  news  yesterday  that  Perm  Symons 
had  defeated  them  at  Dundee,  though  with  heavy  loss  on  our 
side ;  he  himself  is  mortally  wounded.  General  White  doubts 
whether  that  force  will  be  able  to  maintain  itself,  as  the  Boer3 
are  closing  in  all  round  him,  and  the  line  of  railway  from 
Ladysmith  is  already  cut.  The  Boers  have  a  tremendous 
advantage  in  being  all  mounted  men,  and,  living  as  they  will 
do  on  the  country  they  pass  through,  they  will  be  unencum- 
bered by  supply  trains,  and  will  move  three  feet  to  our  one. 


SCOUTING  89 

The  more  I  see  of  it,  the  more  I  feel  that  we  have  a  trouble- 
some and  difficult  job  on  hand." 

The  letter  to  Major  Mackintosh  was  at  once  written  and 
sent  off  by  the  train  starting  that  evening,  together  with  one 
from  the  colonel,  stating  the  information  that  he  had  gained 
— thanks  to  the  daring1  and  enterprise  of  Mr.  Harberton,  who 
had  in  disguise  entered  the  Orange  Free  State  and  gathered 
the  intelligence  he  now  sent  from  the  men  of  the  Boer  com- 
mando at  Faurcsrnith. 

Although  Yorke  had  been  absent  but  a  few  days,  the 
changes  at  De  Aar  were  wonderful.  Never  even  in  the  days 
of  the  gold  fever  in  California  was  so  great  a  transformation 
effected  in  so  short  a  time.  De  Aar  had  grown  from  a  little 
village  of  some  forty  houses,  two  or  three  shops,  a  church 
and  school,  with  a  little  camp,  into  a  great  military  centre. 
Captain  Mackenzie  of  the  Royal  Artillery  was  in  charge  of 
a  separate  camp,  which  grew  daily.  Here  in  a  large  kraal  he 
had  upwards  of  a  thousand  mules  and  as  many  horses,  all  of 
which  had  been  broken  in  and  trained  for  military  service. 

Not  far  away  was  the  Army  Service  camp.  Here  were  men 
capable  of  every  kind  of  work  that  could  be  demanded — 
carpenters,  wheelwrights,  railway  men,  painters,  plasterers, 
saddlers,  and  artificers  of  all  sorts.  Aided  by  Kaffirs  working 
under  their  direction,  camps  and  sheds  were  erected  as  if  by 
magic,  and  in  a  couple  of  days  a  street  of  corrugated  iron 
stores  would  spring  into  existence  on  the  veldt.  There  was 
already  a  medical  camp,  with  its  Red  Cross  flag.  The  York- 
shire regiment  had  come  up,  and  was  under  canvas  on  the 
other  side  of  the  railway.  The  Kaffir  camp  was  also  a  canvas 
town,  and  here  natives  of  many  tribes,  Basutos,  blacks  from 
Cape  Town,  mule-drivers  and  transport  men,  were  clothed 
and  fed.  Breastworks  had  been  erected  by  the  troops  and 
Kaffirs  upon  the  hills  around,  and  redoubts  thrown  up  on  the 
plains. 

On  the  morning  after  Yorke's  return  the  colonel  said  to 
him :  "  I  do  not  see  any  work  to  which  I  can  put  you  here, 


90  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Mr.  Harberton.  After  what  you  have  done  I  think  you  will 
be  far  more  useful  in  scouting  than  in  any  other  way.  I  have 
been  thinking  the  matter  over,  and  have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  you  cannot  do  better  than  get  some  Kaffirs  to  act 
under  you.  I  will  give  you  an  order  on  the  head  of  their  de- 
partment to  hand  over  a  score  of  them  to  you.  You  can  pick 
your  men.  They  must,  of  course,  be  active  and  intelligent 
fellows ;  and  although  you  speak  a  little  of  their  language,  it 
would  be  better  to  pick  out  some  at  any  rate  who  understand 
English  or  Dutch.  Your  friend  Grimstone,  whose  wife  made 
your  wig,  has  just  come  into  camp  with  three  or  four  hundred 
cattle  and  a  number  of  horses  and  ponies.  He  is  at  present 
in  the  supply  camp  arranging  the  sale  of  his  cattle.  Some 
of  his  horses  are  too  light  for  transport  purposes,  but  they 
are,  like  the  Basuto  ponies,  rough  and  hardy. 

"  Captain  Mackenzie  will  no  doubt  buy  all  the  animals 
suitable  for  his  purpose,  and  I  will  walk  across  with  you  to 
his  camp  and  get  him  to  buy  twenty  ponies  for  your  men. 
In  this  way  you  will  be  able  to  cover  a  considerable  extent 
of  ground,  and  give  notice  of  any  party  of  Boers  who  may 
ford  the  Orange  River — for  I  hear  that  the  water  is  sinking 
fast,  and  no  doubt  it  can  soon  be  crossed  at  many  points 
besides  the  ordinary  drifts.  You  would  always  be  able  to  buy 
a  sheep  for  the  men,  for  although  the  English  colonists  are 
rapidly  coming  in,  of  course  the  Dutch  are  remaining1.  The 
men  must  carry  ten  pounds  of  flour  apiece ;  and  if  they  have 
plenty  of  mutton  it  will  last  them  for  a  week." 

Yorke  was  delighted  with  the  offer,  indeed  nothing  could 
have  suited  him  better;  and  after  going  with  the  colonel  and 
arranging  for  the  Kaffirs  and  ponies,  he  went  to  have  a  chat 
with  his  friend  the  colonist. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  that  you  got  back  safely,"  the  latter  said. 
"  Did  your  disguise  pass  you  all  right  ?  " 

"Admirably.  I  went  straight  into  the  middle  of  a  com- 
mando at  Fauresmith,  and  learnt  all  that  there  was  to  learn 


SCOUTING  91 

without  exciting  the  slightest  suspicion.  I  hope  you  are  doing 
well  with  your  cattle." 

"  Excellently.  I  am  getting  a  much  better  price  for  them 
than  I  could  have  obtained  a  month  ago — more,  indeed,  than 
at  the  best  of  times ;  and  I  am  told  that  all  my  heavy  horses 
will  be  bought  on  good  terms  as  remounts,  but  that  the 
smaller  ones  are  too  light  for  this  sort  of  work.  I  shall  try 
and  sell  them  to  one  of  the  Dutch  farmers,  but  I  can't  expect 
to  get  much  from  them;  in  fact,  I  expect  I  shall  almost  have 
to  give  them  away." 

"  Colonel  Pinkerton  has  just  made  an  arrangement  by 
which  you  will  get  a  fair  price  for  twenty  of  them,  if  you  have 
as  many,  for  use  by  a  score  of  Kaffirs  who  are  at  work  under 
me  as  scouts.  I  don't  suppose  he  will  give  you  a  high  price 
for  them;  but  at  any  rate  he  will  pay  you  more  than  you 
would  get  from  the  Boers,  who  would  know  that  you  must 
take  anything  that  they  chose  to  offer." 

"  That  is  good  news  indeed.  I  am  sure  that  I  should  not 
have  got  more  than  a  pound  a  head  for  them,  and  they  are 
worth  from  seven  to  ten  pounds.  If  they  will  give  me  seven 
apiece  all  round  I  shall  be  delighted." 

This  was,  indeed,  the  price  that  Yorke  heard  later  in  the 
day  was  paid  for  them. 

On  leaving  Mr.  Grimstone,  Yorke  went  among  the  Kaffirs 
and  picked  out  twenty  active  men,  all  of  whom  spoke  Dutch. 
They  had  all  been  clothed  in  blue  frocks  and  trousers,  and 
when  they  had  been  handed  over  to  him  he  was  well  pleased 
with  their  serviceable  appearance;  in  the  afternoon  he  ob- 
tained the  ponies  from  the  remount  department.  The  Kaffirs 
were  in  the  highest  glee  at  exchanging  hard  labour  for  work 
of  a  kind  most  congenial  to  them.  Saddles  were  not  neces- 
sary, nor  were  there  any  to  spare,  but  Yorke  obtained  a 
couple  of  hides  from  the  commissariat  and  the  natives  cut 
them  into  strips,  folded  up  their  blankets  and  placed  them  on 
the  ponies'  backs,  using  bands  of  raw  hide  as  saddle-girths. 


r 


92  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

With  other  strips  they  manufactured  loops  to  act  as  stirrups, 
rough  bridles,  and  reins. 

"  Now,  Hans,  I  shall  promote  you  to  the  position  of  ser- 
geant," Yorke  said  that  evening.  "  Your  only  duty  will  be  to 
look  after  the  fellows  generally,  to  bargain  with  the  farmers 
for  food,  and  to  see  that  the  blacks  obey  orders  when  we  are 
camping." 

"  Very  well,  Master  Yorke,  I  will  do  my  best.  I  shall  be 
glad  to  be  right  away  from  this  camp ;  the  dust  here  is  awful. 
And,  having  nothing  to  do  while  everyone  else  is  at  work,  I 
quite  long  to  be  a  Kaffir  and  do  something." 

"  I  did  not  know  you  were  so  fond  of  work,  Hans." 

"  I  didn't  know  that  I  was  either,"  Hans  said  with  a  grin. 
"  But  one  could  always  sleep  at  the  farm  when  there  was 
nothing  else  to  do ;  it  is  too  hot  in  these  canvas  tents  for  that, 
And  when  everyone  else  is  at  work  I  do  not  like  to  be  loiter- 
ing about  all  day.  Already  three  or  four  officers  have  asked 
me  who  I  was  and  what  duty  I  was  employed  on,  and  seemed 
to  think  that  I  had  no  right  to  be  here,  and  that  I  was  of  no 
use." 

"  Well,  we  shall  have  plenty  to  do  for  the  next  month,  and, 
I  hope,  beyond  that." 

The  heat  and  dust  were  indeed  terrible  at  De  Aar.  The 
weather  was  trying  and  changeable,  the  sun  was  intensely 
hot,  and  a  bitterly  cold  wind  often  blew.  Sometimes  a  dust- 
storm  would  burst  over  the  camp,  covering  everything  with 
a  thick  coat  of  red  dust.  This  would  be  succeeded  by  a 
heavy  thunder-shower. 

The  men  drew  their  rations  of  flour  the  first  thing  in  the 
morning,  together  with  some  bags  of  forage  for  the  horses,  and 
at  seven  o'clock  Yorke  and  Hans  mounted,  and  after  ordering 
them  to  follow  him  four  abreast,  left  the  camp. 

The  Kaffirs  needed  no  instruction  from  him  in  the  art  of 
scouting,  it  was  born  in  their  blood,  and  they  had  been 
taught  as  boys  among  their  tribes,  before  they  drifted  away 
South  as  drivers  of  bullock-carts  or  in  other  capacities.  Once 


SCOUTING  93 

there,  and  liking  the  life  of  loafing  vagabondage,  with  just 
enough  work  to  keep  them  from  starving,  they  had  remained 
until  high  wages  were  offered,  and  their  instinctive  love  of 
warfare  tempted  them  to  take  service  with  the  army.  Two 
miles  away  they  were  halted,  and  Yorke,  who  had  bought 
Baden-Powell's  book  on  scouting  at  Cape  Town  and  had 
studied  it  diligently,  told  them  that  they  were  now  to  sepa- 
rate, and  were  to  practise  scouting  among  the  low  hills  in 
front. 

"  You  must  bear  in  mind,"  he  said,  "  that  the  great  object  is 
to  discover  the  presence  and  strength  of  an  enemy  and  the 
direction  in  which  they  are  approaching,  without  letting  them 
know  that  they  are  observed.  You  must  never  show  your- 
selves against  the  line  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  as,  were  you 
to  stand  up  with  the  sky  behind  you,  you  could  be  seen  for 
a  very  long  distance.  Half  of  you  will  go  to  the  right  and 
half  to  the  left.  I  shall  stop  here  for  an  hour  and  watch  you 
at  work;  then  I  shall  move  straight  forward.  When  you  see 
me  do  so  you  will  descend  from  the  hills  and  join  me  as  I  pass 
between  them.  Some  of  you  may  be  too  far  off  to  meet  me 
there,  but  you  will  see  our  tracks  and  will  follow  us  till  you 
overtake  us.  You  had  better  remain  here  with  me,  Hans,  and 
watch  them  at  work." 

"  I  take  it,"  Hans  said,  when  the  natives  had  started,  "  that 
scouting  for  an  enemy  is  the  same  sort  of  thing  as  crawling 
up  to  a  herd  of  deer,  except  that  the  deer  are  a  good  deal 
sharper  than  the  men ;  you  can  approach  men  from  either  side, 
while  with  deer  you  have  not  much  chance  to  get  near  them 
unless  the  wind  blows  from  them  towards  you." 

"  That  is  so,  Hans.  The  Boers'  eyesight  is  sharp  enough, 
but  they  have  not  the  power  of  smell.  But  if  you  were  stalk- 
ing them  it  would  be  best  always  to  try  to  come  up  against 
the  wind,  for  although  they  could  not  smell  us,  their  horses 
might  do  so  and  show  signs  of  uneasiness.  Well,  we  have 
stalked  a  good  many  deer  together,  and  I  fancy  it  will  help 
ns  a  good  deal  with  our  work  here." 


94  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

Dismounting,  he  went  with  Hans  on  to  an  eminence  and 
stood  watching  the  Kaffirs  through  his  field-glass.  He  saw 
that,  as  they  passed  the  first  small  eminence,  one  man  sepa- 
rated himself  from  the  rest,  rode  up  some  distance,  and  then 
leaving  the  horse,  ran  up  until  nearly  at  the  top,  when  Le 
threw  himself  down  and  crawled  forward  with  a  zigzag  move- 
ment, taking  advantage  of  the  cover  of  rocks  and  sage-bushes. 
The  next  hill  was  wider  and  longer,  and  two  or  three  men 
turned  off;  heyond  that  he  could  not  perceive  their  move- 
ments. The  same  thing  was  going  on  on  the  other  flank. 

"  They  will  do  splendidly,"  Yorke  said,  turning  to  Hans. 
"But  when  they  start  scouting  in  earnest,  and  want  to  get 
up  anywhere  near  the  Boers,  they  will  have  to  take  off  those 
blue  clothes  of  theirs;  their  own  skin  won't  show  as  much  on 
the  sand  and  rocks  as  those  clothes  will." 

After  waiting  for  an  hour  they  mounted  and  rode  slowly 
forward.  They  were  joined  as  they  passed  through  a  dip  in 
the  sand-hills  by  five  men  from  one  flank  and  four  from  the 
other;  there  was  not  time  for  those  who  had  gone  farther  to 
get  back.  The  party  rode  on  slowly,  and  were  gradually 
overtaken  by  the  others.  All  reported  that  they  saw  no 
signs  of  the  enemy.  They  were  again  sent  forward  to  search 
hills  to  the  front,  those  who  had  before  gone  to  the  farther 
hills  this  time  taking  those  nearer.  So  the  work  continued 
all  day,  and  in  the  afternoon  they  halted  at  a  deserted  farm- 
house, where  they  passed  the  night,  four  Kaffirs  being  thrown 
out  as  patrols.  Yorke  had  no  fear  of  being  surprised,  but 
thought  it  as  well  to  accustom  the  men  to  behave  as  if  an 
enemy  were  near.  For  a  week  the  work  continued,  being  now 
carried  on  more  in  earnest,  as  they  were  near  the  river.  As 
the  colonel  had  suggested,  their  scouting  was  farther  south 
than  Yorke  had  before  been. 

"  You  know,"  he  had  said,  "  that  there  is  no  idea  at  present 
of  their  crossing  the  Orange  Eiver  between  Zoutpans  Drift 
and  Philippolis,  so  you  had  better  watch  the  line  between 
Seacow  Kiver  at  its  junction  with  the  Orange  to  Hanover,  as 


THE  ADVANCE  95 

it  is  across  this  line  that  bands  that  had  crossed  at  Bethulie 
Bridge  or  Norvals  Pont  into  Cape  Colony  might  advance 
west  to  cut  the  railway  between  De  Aar  and  Richmond  Road 
station." 

The  country  was  very  hilly  here,  and  the  Kaffirs  were 
divided  into  parties  of  two,  each  having  his  appointed  station. 
One  was  always  to  remain  at  the  look-out,  the  second  to  scout 
down  to  the  river,  and  when  required,  to  fetch  provisions 
from  the  farmhouse,  which  served  as  Yorke's  head-quarters. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE   ADVANCE 

npHE  work  was  carried  on  steadily.  The  Kaffirs  used  their 
JL  ponies  only  to  carry  them  to  the  point  at  which  they 
commenced  work.  Here  they  would  be  left  while  the  natives 
proceeded  on  foot,  scouted  all  day,  returning  to  their  mounts 
late  in  the  afternoon,  and  generally  arriving  at  the  farm  as 
the  evening  was  closing  in.  For  this  work  they  had  entirely 
given  up  the  clothes  with  which  they  had  been  furnished,  and 
went  about  in  the  scanty  attire  worn  by  Kaffir  boys  on  a  farm, 
or  in  the  ragged  garments  in  which  they  had  been  engaged. 
Thus  they  were  able  to  obtain  information  from  the  Kaffirs  at 
the  farms,  pretending  either  to  have  come  from  the  little 
native  communities  settled  on  the  river  bank,  or  to  have  left 
the  Orange  Free  State  because  of  the  troubles,  and  to  be  on 
the  look-out  for  work. 

All  that  could  be  learned,  however,  was  that  the  Boers  who 
had  crossed  the  Orange  River  were  either  making  south 
through  the  mountainous  district  near  Stormberg  and  Steyns- 
burg,  or  were  moving  towards  Aliwal  North.  They  were 
being  largely  joined  by  Dutch  sympathizers,  and  the  farms  of 
the  British  settlers  were  being  everywhere  looted. 


96  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

'After  a  fortnight  of  this  work,  Yorke  was  recalled  to  De 
Aar.  The  troops  from  England  had  been  pouring  through. 
The  first  skirmish  had  taken  place.  The  mounted  infantry  of 
the  Eoyal  Munster  Fusiliers,  the  Northumberland  Fusiliers, 
and  the  North  Lancashire,  with  the  9th  Lancers,  seven  hun- 
dred in  all,  had  gone  some  twenty  miles  along  the  railway  to 
the  Orange  Eiver  Station,  and  come  in  contact  with  a  strong 
Boer  commando.  There  was  a  skirmish,  two  officers  were 
killed,  and  two  others  and  two  privates  wounded. 

Already  guns,  waggons,  the  soldiers'  belts,  and  even  their 
guns  had  been  painted  khaki  to  match  the  uniforms.  The 
officers,  too,  were  in  khaki,  but  the  emblems  of  their  rank, 
and  above  all,  their  swords,  had  marked  them  out,  and  the 
Boer  sharp-shooters  directed  their  attention  specially  to 
them. 

"  You  are  to  go  up  at  once  to  Orange  River  station,"  the 
colonel  said.  "I  spoke  about  you  and  your  little  corps  of 
Kaffir  scouts  to  Lord  Methuen  as  he  passed  through  here  yes- 
terday. He  has  already  a  body  of  two  hundred  mounted 
colonials  for  scouting  work;  but  on  my  pointing  out  to  him 
that  your  Kaffirs  could  pass  anywhere,  and  obtain  informa- 
tion from  their  countrymen  in  the  heart  of  the  enemy's 
country  without  exciting  suspicion,  he  said  the  idea  was  an 
excellent  one,  and  ordered  me  to  send  you  on  at  once.  You 
will  report  yourself  to  him  personally  on  your  arrival  at 
Orange  River.  You  must  go  by  road;  the  railway  is  entirely 
occupied  by  the  troops  going  up." 

Delighted  at  the  order,  Yorke,  after  an  hour's  halt  to  rest 
the  ponies  and  draw  rations,  started,  and  rode  as  far  as 
Hout  Kraal  siding.  There  he  halted  for  the  night,  and  the 
third  day  rode  into  Orange  River  Station  at  twelve  o'clock. 
He  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  Lord  Methuen's  quarters. 
The  general,  a  handsome  soldierly  man,  was  standing  at  the 
door  speaking  to  an  officer,  and  when  the  conversation  ended, 
Yorke  moved  up  and  saluted. 

"  My  name  is  Harberton,  sir.    On  arriving  at  De  Aar  yes- 


THE  ADVANCE  97 

terday,  Colonel  Pinkerton  ordered  me  to  come  on  here  and 
report  myself  to  you." 

"Ah,  you  are  the  officer  in  command  of  a  party  of  Kaffir 
scouts.  He  spoke  highly  of  you,  and  said  that  you  had 
crossed  the  Orange  Kiver  in  disguise  and  obtained  valuable 
information  from  a  Boer  commando  you  mixed  with.  It  cer- 
tainly seemed  to  me  that  you  and  your  men  might  do  valuable 
service.  Our  scouts  can  only  tell  us  what  they  see,  whereas 
your  Kaffirs  can  go  anywhere  and  obtain  information  from 
the  natives,  while  your  speaking  Dutch  will  enable  you  to 
pass  as  a  Boer.  You  yourself  know  something  of  Kaffir  also  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"They  have  horses?" 

"Yes,  sir;  but  they  only  use  them  till  they  get  to  a  point 
where  they  really  begin  to  scout.  Then  they  knee-halter 
them  and  start  on  foot,  and  are  absent  perhaps  many  hours 
before  they  return.  The  ponies  enable  them  to  cover  a  much 
larger  extent  of  ground  than  they  could  were  they  to  start 
in  the  first  place  on  foot." 

The  general  nodded.  "We  shall  not  start  for  another 
three  or  four  days,  Mr.  Harberton,  but  I  shall  be  glad  if  you 
will  be  off  to-morrow  morning  on  a  reconnaissance.  The 
other  day  the  Boers  were  not  met  with  on  this  side  of  Bel- 
mont;  I  wish  to  ascertain  whether  the  country  is  still  com- 
pletely clear  of  them  to  that  point,  and  if  possible,  what 
force  they  have  at  Belmont.  You  will  report  yourself  now  to 
the  quartermaster-general,  who  will  assign  you  <a  tent  and 
a  spot  where  your  Kaffirs  can  picket  their  ponies.  They  had 
better  not  take  them'  with  them  to-morrow,  as  they  would  be 
much  more  conspicuous  to  the  Boer  scouts  than  if  the  men 
went  on  foot.  You  may  as  well,  by  the  way,  take  four  horses 
on  to  the  point  where  you  yourself  decide  to  stop.  Your  men 
will,  of  course,  return  to  you  every  evening,  and  you  will 
send  one  off  each  day  with  your  report  of  what  you  have 
learned.  A  week's  rations  will  be  issued  to  you.  Oh,  here  is 
Major  Kimingtonl 

(M889)  O 


98  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"  Major,"  he  said,  as  the  officer  came  up,  "  this  is  Mr.  Har- 
berton,  who  commands  a  small  body  of  Kaffir  scouts,  who  will 
be  more  useful  in  obtaining  information  than  your  men  can 
be,  >as  they  can  pass  anywhere  and  pick  up  news  from  the 
local  Kaffirs.  He  will  be  generally  away,  but  as  he  is  quite 
alone,  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  allow  him  to  be  attached  to 
your  corps  while  he  is  with  us.  He  has  already  made  one 
dangerous  expedition  in  disguise.  He  is,  I  hear,  an  old  Rugby 
boy,  but  has  been  out  here  long  enough  to  speak  Dutch  fairly 
and  to  talk  a  little  Kaffir." 

"  With  pleasure,  sir.  We  will  make  him  at  home  and  look 
after  him.  If  you  will  wait  a  few  minutes,  sir,  while  I  speak 
to  the  general,  I  will  take  you  off  with  me." 

Saluting  Lord  Methuen,  Yorke  walked  away  a  short  dis- 
tance greatly  pleased  with  his  reception.  He  was  soon  joined 
by  Major  Eimington. 

"  Now,  have  you  anywhere  to  go  before  you  come  to  our 
camp?"  the  latter  asked. 

"  I  have  to  go  to  the  quartermaster-general's  to  get  him  to 
assign  a  spot  where  the  ponies  of  my  men  can  be  picketed, 
and  to  obtain  an  order  for  them  and  myself  for  a  week's 
rations,  as  we  start  out  to-morrow,  and  also  to  get  a  tent." 

"  It  will  be  of  no  use  your  getting  that  till  you  come  back ; 
we  are  not  very  closely  packed.  Anyhow,  you  can  have  a 
shake-down  for  the  night.  When  we  once  move  forward 
there  will  be  no  coming  back  here,  and  it  would  be  absurd  to 
have  all  the  trouble  of  getting  a  tent  and  putting  it  up,  and 
taking  it  down  and  handing  it  over  the  next  morning.  Have 
you  a  servant  ? " 

"Yes,  sir.  I  have  a  Dutch  lad,  a  very  good  fellow,  who 
acts  as  my  servant  and  sergeant." 

"  Then  he  had  better  draw  his  rations  and  yours,  and  look 
after  you.  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  share  my  tent  for  to- 
night." 

The  arrangements  were  soon  made,  and  the  quartermastei 
general  also  gave  an  order  on  the  officer  looking  after 


THE  ADVANCE  99 

native  labourers,  to  tell  off  two  Kaffirs  to  take  care  of  the 
horses  of  the  party  until  they  returned.  Then  Yorke  went 
with  Major  Kimington  to  the  camp  of  his  regiment,  and  was 
introduced  to  his  officers.  Two  or  three  of  these  were  already 
acquainted  with  Yorke,  having  lived  at  the  same  hotel  at 
Cape  Town. 

"  You  are  just  in  time  for  lunch,"  the  major  said.  "  I  do 
not  expect  we  shall  get  any  more  regular  meals  for  some 
time." 

They  sat  down  in  the  open  air  at  a  rough  table  constructed 
of  planks  placed  on  empty  barrels,  and  boxes,  the  latter  being 
also  used  for  seats.  The  meal  was  a  pleasant  one;  everyone 
was  in  high  spirits  at  the  thought  that  the  period  of  inaction 
was  nearly  over,  and  that  in  a  few  days  they  would  be  advanc- 
ing to  the  relief  of  Kimberley.  There  was  no  stint  of  food,  as, 
in  addition  to  the  ordinary  rations,  they  had  brought  up  with 
them  two  or  three  cases  of  preserved  meats  and  wine,  and  as 
these  could  be  taken  on  no  farther  there  was  no  motive  for 
being  saving  with  them.  The  officers  were  a  fine  set  of  young 
men.  All  were  colonials  of  good  family,  and  the  men  were  all 
strong  and  hardy  young  fellows.  They  were  to  act  not  only 
as  scouts,  but  as  guides  to  the  army,  and  there  was  scarcely 
a  square  mile  in  the  colony  but  was  known  to  one  or  other  of 
them.  Unlike  the  regulars,  the  officers  had  already  done  away 
with  everything  that  would  distinguish  them  at  a  distance 
from  privates,  their  belts  were  khaki  colour,  and  they  carried 
carbines  instead  of  swords,  in  addition  to  their  revolvers. 

After  the  meal  was  over,  the  party  broke  up,  the  officers 
going  to  look  after  the  men  and  horses.  The  major  said: 
"  Come  into  my  tent,  Harberton,  and  tell  me  how  you  come 
to  speak  Dutch  so  well,  and  how  you  got  up  this  corps  of 
yours." 

The  major  lit  his  pipe  and  seated  himself  on  a  box,  which 
— with  the  exception  of  a  bed  on  the  ground,  two  other 
boxes  which  served  as  a  writing-table,  and  another  kept  for 
a  visitor — constituted  the  sole  furniture  of  the  tent.  Yorke 


100  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

took  the  spare  box,  and  gave  a  sketch  of  his  history  and 
doings  to  the  major. 

"  You  have  done  well  indeed,"  the  latter  said  when  he  had 
finished.  "It  was  a  thousand  times  better  to  come  out  here 
and  fight  your  way,  than  to  be  hanging  about  waiting  for 
something  to  turn  up  at  home,  and  you  have  certainly  made 
the  best  of  your  time.  Many  men  would  be  years  in  the 
colony  before  learning  to  speak  Dutch  thoroughly.  Your 
expedition  to  Fauresmith  shows  that  you  have  plenty  of 
intelligence  as  well  -as  pluck,  though,  looking  at  you  now, 
I  can  hardly  fancy  you  would  be  able  to  disguise  yourself  to 
pass  as  a  Boer." 

"  I  shall  start  in  that  character  to-morrow  morning,  Major, 
so  you  will  have  an  opportunity  of  judging  for  yourself.  I 
have  no  idea  of  stopping  idle  all  day  while  the  Kaffirs  are 
at  work." 

"Don't  be  too  rash,  you  know,"  the  major  said.  "Ee- 
member  that  a  man  may  do  a  thing  half  <a  dozen  times  in 
safety,  but  at  the  seventh  some. accident  may  occur  that  will 
betray  him." 

That  afternoon  Yorke  saw  a  party  of  troopers  ride  in  with 
six  Boers;  they  had  been  captured  in  a  skirmish.  Two  of 
these  were  men  of  a  better  class,  with  well-made  clothes,  silk 
neck-ties,  and  polished  boots;  the  others  were  rough  fellows, 
probably,  he  thought,  men  employed  on  some  of  the  farms 
belonging  to  the  others.  He  noticed  that  these  had  all  cut 
their  hair,  so  that  it  stood  up  rough  and  bristly. 

"  That  is  good,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  I  shall  be  able  to 
do  without  that  wig  that  the  colonel  handed  to  me  when 
I  returned  to  De  Aar.  I  don't  say  that  it  might  not  come 
in  useful  if  I  had  to  change  my  disguise  quickly,  but  it  would 
always  be  dangerous.  Hat  and  wig  might  both  blow  off  in 
one  of  the  thunder-storms,  or  get  knocked  off  in  a  scuffle. 
Still,  I  am  afraid  I  shall  look  too  English  without  it.  Of 
course  there  are  boys  of  my  age  among  them.  We  know 


THE  ADVANCE  101 

that  all  over  sixteen  have  to  go  on  commando.  However,  I 
will  first  go  into  the  major's  tent  and  slip  into  my  Boer 
clothes,  and  put  on  my  wig  and  blacken  my  eyebrows,  and 
see  if  he  recognizes  me,  then  I  will  ask  his  opinion  how  I 
could  alter  myself  a  bit  if  I  gave  up  the  wig." 

He  returned  to  the  camp  of  Kimington's  Tigers,  as  they 
were  generally  called — from  the  fact  that  they  wore  a  strip 
of  raccoon  skin  as  a  band  round  their  slouch  hats.  When 
he  had  put  on  his  disguise,  he  waited  till  he  heard  Major 
Kimington  ride  up  and  call  to  his  orderly  to  take  his  horse, 
then  he  stepped  out. 

"Hullo!  Who  the  deuce  are  you?"  the  major  exclaimed, 
"  and  how  dare  you  enter  my  tent  when  I  am  away  ?  What 
are  you  doing  in  the  oamp,  sir?  Show  me  your  permit." 

"I  did  not  know  anything  about  a  permit,"  Yorke  said 
in  Dutch,  disguising  his  voice  as  much  as  possible. 

"  How  was  it  the  sentry  let  you  enter  the  camp  ? "  the 
major  said  angrily. 

"Hi,  there!"  he  called  to 'two  of  his  men  a  little  distance 
away.  "Hi,  hand  this  man  over  to  the  guard,  and  tell  the 
sentry  to  keep  a  sharp  eye  upon  him.  I  expect  he  is  a  spy, 
and  by  his  going  into  my  tent  possibly  a  thief." 

"  You  needn't  do  that,  major,"  Yorke  said  as  he  answered 
him  in  English  with  a  laugh.  "  You  see  I  have  been  able  to 
pass  as  a  Boer,  and  even  you,  seeing  me  come  out  of  your 
tent,  did  not  recognize  me." 

The  major  broke  into  a  laugh,  telling  the  soldiers  who  were 
running  up  that  it  was  all  right,  and  they  need  not  trouble 
themselves.  Then,  as  he  alighted,  he  took  another  good  look 
at  Yorke.  "  No,  I  certainly  should  not  have  known  you.  It 
is  a  wonderfully  good  get-up.  That  long  hair  changes  your 
appearance  completely,  and  those  loose  slovenly  clothes  quite 
alter  your  figure.  You  will  be  able  to  pass  anywhere  like 
that.  Come  in;  let  me  see  what  you  have  done  to  your  face. 
Even  that  seems  changed  somehow." 


102  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"It  is.6rily.tBat  I  have  darkened  my  eyebrows,  sir." 

"  Where  did  you  get  that  wig  from  ? "  he  went  on  as  Yorke, 
on  entering,  took  off  his  hat. 

"  I  sent  down  from  De  Aar,  and  had  it  specially  made." 

"It  is  a  capital  one,  and  that  sort  of  rough  curl  on  the 
forehead  completely  hides  the  edge  of  the  parting." 

Yorke  spent  a  pleasant  evening1  with  the  officers  of  the 
Tigers,  and  started  soon  after  daybreak  next  morning,  wear- 
ing his  uniform,  the  bundle  containing  his  other  clothes 
being  carried  on  one  of  the  four  horses  ridden  by  the  Kaffirs. 

They  attracted  no  notice  whatever  in  passing  through  the 
camp,  but  at- the  bridge  Yorke  had  to  show  the  pass  he  had 
received  from  the  quartermaster-general  on  the  previous  day, 
ordering  that  he  should  at  all  times  be  allowed  to  leave  or 
enter  the  camp,  and  enjoining  all  officers  of  patrols  and 
detached  parties  to  render  him  any  assistance  in  their  power. 
Oijce  across  the  bridge  he  rode  on  at  a  trot,  the  unmounted 
natives  keeping  up  without  difficulty.  He  did  not  follow  the 
line  of  the  railway,  but  struck  off  to  the  right,  as  any  Boers 
who  might  be  on  look-out  on  the  top  of  the  kopjes  would  be 
watching  the  line,  which  was  frequently  patrolled  for  some 
miles  from  the  camp,  in  order  to  prevent  it  from  being  torn 
up.  or  injured.  The  country  on  this  side  of  the  river  was 
greener  and  less  arid-looking1  than  on  the  plain  south  of  it. 

Eiding  east  for  three  or  four  miles  across  undulating  and 
broken  ground,  Yorke  felt  that  he  had  probably  got  beyond 
the  hills  where  watchers  were  likely  to  be  stationed.  He 
and  Hans  now  dismounted,  took  off  their  uniforms,  and 
dressed  themselves  in  Boer  attire.  The  Kaffirs  were  told  to 
scatter,  and  made  their  way  as  much  as  possible  over  rocky 
ground,  keeping  the  mounted  party  in  sight.  Half  a  dozen  of 
them  went  ahead,  ascending  every  elevation  whence  they 
could  get  a  view  of  the  country  round  and  discover  any  Boers 
on  watch.  They  were  now  travelling  parallel  with  the  rail- 
way, and  continued  that  course  until,  as  Yorke  judged,  they 
must  be  nearly  abreast  of  Belmont.  A  spot  was  chosen  in  a 


THE  ADVANCE  103 

narrow  valley  between  the  two  kopjes.  It  was  thickly  strewn 
with  great  boulders  .and  rocks  of  all  sizes.  Here  the  Kaffirs 
at  once  set  to  work  to  build  up  a  rough  wall  where  a  huge 
overhanging  mass  of  rock  formed  a  natural  roof.  The  six 
horses  were  given  a  good  feed,  and  were  then  allowed  to 
wander  about  .and  nibble  the  grass  and  the  leaves  of  the 
bushes  growing  thickly  between  the  rocks. 

Yorke  and  Hans  took  possession  of  the  rough  shelter,  and 
rations  were  served  out.  With  the  tinned  meat  and  a  handful 
or  two  of  mealies  the  Kaffirs  were  well  content,  and  as  the 
clouds  were  banking  up  for  a  thunder-storm,  soon  found 
shelter  for  themselves  among  the  boulders.  The  storm  came 
up  rapidly;  the  thunder  was  incessant  for  half  an  hour,  then 
the  sky  cleared  up  and  the  stars  shone  out.  Yorke  had  pro- 
cured a  stock  of  bread  for  himself  and  Hans,  extra  water- 
bottles  had  been  brought,  and  as  Major  Rimington  had  in- 
sisted upon  his  taking  two  bottles  of  wine  before  starting, 
they  made  a  comfortable  meal. 

"  I  thought  you  did  not  drink  anything  but  tea  and  coffee, 
Master  Yorke,"  Hans  said,  when  the  latter  poured  a  little 
wine  into  the  water  in  a  tin  mug. 

"  I  do  not  as  a  general  thing,  Hans,  but  I  cannot  get  tea  or 
coffee  at  present,  and  the  water  of  the  Orange  Eiver  is 
scarcely  a  fluid  that  it  is  desirable  to  drink  alone.  Spirits  I 
never  touch,  but  a  spoonful  or  two  of  wine  takes  away  the 
muddy  flavour  and  helps  one  to  get  down  this  bread  and 
tinned  meat.  Using  it  like  this,  the  wine  will  last  for  a  week, 
and  I  expect  before  that  time  we  shall  join  the  troops  at  Bel- 
mont.  Hans,  you  must  mind  you  have  your  story  perfect. 
We  are  Dutch  from  Cape  Colony.  We  crossed  the  river  at 
Colesberg  Bridge,  and  decided  to  come  north  to  join  Cronje 
outside  Kimberley.  Of  course  we  must  be  very  careful  as 
to  where  we  say  we  live.  It  is  pretty  certain  that  a  good 
many  of  the  Dutch  from  round  Richmond  will  have  come 
to  aid  the  Free  Staters.  I  know  by  sight  those  who  used  to 
come  to  the  farm;  no  doubt  you  know  more.  They  won't 


104  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

recognize  us  in  our  changed  dress,  but  they  would  know  the 
names  of  all  the  farmers  for  many  miles  round,  and  it  would 
never  do  to  say  that  we  came  from  that  part  of  the  country. 

"  We  had  better  say  that  we  came  from  near  Pearston.  It 
is  a  good-sized  place  in  the  East  Somerset  district,  about 
half-way  between  the  two  lines  going  up  from  the  coast  to 
Middelburg.  It  is  very  unlikely  that  any  of  the  Dutch  from 
that  neighbourhood  would  come  up  here;  they  will  be  wait- 
ing for  the  Boers  to  come  down  across  the  Orange  Eiver 
through  Steynsburg  and  Molteno,  before  they  take  up  arms, 
so  that  there  will  be  very  little  fear  of  our  falling  in  with 
any  who  would  question  us  very  closely  as  to  the  farm  we 
came  from  or  of  the  people  we  knew.  But  I  do  not  propose 
to  go  in  among"  the  enemy  at  Belmont.  It  is  almost  certain 
that,  although  they  may  fight  there,  and  perhaps  at  some 
of  the  kopjes  farther  on,  it  is  at  the  crossing  of  the  Modder 
river  that  the  big  fight  will  be. 

"Every  time  we  went  into  their  camp  the  risk  would 
increase.  Some  of  the  men  who  saw  us  at  one  place  and 
heard  our  story  would  be  sure  to  recognize  us  at  the  next. 
Of  course  if  we  remained  with  them  all  the  time,  shared  in 
the  fighting  and  retreat,  it  would  be  all  right;  but  I  have 
not  the  least  idea  of  being  shot  by  our  own  men  or  cut  down 
in  the  pursuit,  for  there  would  be  no  time  to  explain  to  a 
Lancer  coming  right  at  you  that  you  were  an  Englishman 
holding  an  authorization  from  Lord  Methuen.  So  I  shall 
content  myself  this  time  with  telling  off  four  of  the  Kaffirs. 
They  are  to  make  their  way  separately  to  Belmont,  to  get  into 
conversation  with  Kaffir  drivers,  teamsters,  and  so  on,  and  to 
endeavour  to  find  out  about  how  many  Boers  are  assembled 
there,  what  guns  they  have  with  them,  whether  there  is  any 
talk  of  their  being1  joined  by  a  larger  force,  and  whether  they 
know  of  any  place  farther  on  where  they  intend  fighting. 

"  If  they  are  questioned  at  Belmont  they  can  tell  any  story 
they  like.  They  can  say  that  they  were  working  for  English 
settlers,  and  that  as  these  have  left,  they  are  out  of  employ- 


THE  ADVANC2  105 

ment  and  want  a  job.  They  must  arrange  among  themselves 
where  to  meet  at  night,  then,  after  comparing  notes  as  to 
what  they  have  learned,  one  of  them  must  steal  away  and 
make  his  way  back  here.  The  other  three,  if  they  have  been 
hired  to  look  after  ponies,  had  better  remain  there,  and  retire 
with  the  Boers  if  they  retreat.  The  next  day  I  will  send  off 
another  to  act  exactly  in  the  same  way,  so  that  every  night 
I  shall  get  a  messenger  back.  The  men  not  engaged  in  this 
work  will  scout  all  the  country  round,  visiting  farms  and  ask- 
ing for  work,  and  finding  out  whether  any  more  men  are 
coming  from  the  east  through  Fauresmith,  and  if  there  are 
any  bands  about  who  are  likely  to  be  making  down  to  cut 
the  line  this  side  of  Belmont.  You  and  I  will  scout  along  this 
line  of  hills,  there  may  be  some  parties  lurking  among  them 
with  the  intention  of  damaging  the  line." 

The  next  morning  at  daybreak  Yorke  informed  the  Kaffirs 
of  the  work  they  were  to  do,  and  chose  four  of  them  as  the 
first  to  carry  out  his  plan,  and  explained  fully  to  them  the 
manner  in  which  they  should  proceed  and  the  story  they  were 
to  tell. 

"  You  had  better  draw  lots  at  once,"  he  said,  "  which  of  you 
is  to  bring  me  the  news  that  you  have  gathered.  Don't  all 
tell  the  same  story.  Two  of  you  can  go  in  together  and  can 
pretend  you  have  come  from  a  deserted  farm,  the  other  two 
had  better  say  they  have  come  from  one  of  the  little  native 
collections  of  huts  by  the  river.  Where  there  are  Boers  there 
are  sure  to  be  waggons,  and  it  is  probable  that  some  of  the 
native  drivers  will  have  deserted,  and  the  Boers  will  be  glad 
to  take  on  fresh  hands.  It  is  not  at  all  probable  that  any  of 
you  will  be  exposed  to  fire,  the  waggons  are  sure  to  be  sent  off 
as  soon  as  the  troops  are  seen  to  be  advancing." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  whole  party  had  scattered  with  the 
exception  of  three  men  left  to  look  after  the  horses.  Yorke 
and  Hans  spent  the  day  in  hard  work,  climbing  up  to  the 
summit  of  the  highest  kopje,  whence  they  commanded  a  view 
over  the  lower  hills  near  the  line  of  railway.  The  closest 


106  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

examination  through  a  field-glass  failed  to  show  that  there 
was  any  force  stationed  on  them,  though  on  several,  single 
figures  could  be  made  out,  evidently  posted  there  as  scouts. 
At  dusk,  all  save  the  four  who  had  gone  into  Belmont  had 
returned.  They  brought  no  news  of  importance.  The  Kaffirs 
they  had  fallen  in  with,  when  questioned,  had  heard  nothing 
of  any  further  commandos  coming  in  from  the  east.  They 
stated  that  it  was  believed  that  great  numbers  had  assembled 
behind  the  Modder,  and  that  they  were  digging  trenches  and 
throwing  up  breast-works  on  their  side  of  the  river,  and  the 
general  talk  was  that  they  would  annihilate  the  English  army 
when  it  arrived  there. 

The  Boers  were  disappointed  that  Kimberley  had  not  al- 
ready been  captured.  Everywhere  the  feeling  of  the  Kaffirs 
was  in  favour  of  the  British,  but  all  believed  that  these  had 
no  chance  whatever  against  the  Boers.  Yorke  had  brought 
candles  and  writing  materials  with  him,  and  at  once  sat  down 
and  wrote  his  report  of  the  news. 

Three  hours  later  one  of  the  men  returned  from  Belmont. 
His  report  was  that  many  of  the  Boers  had  been  there  for 
upwards  of  a  month,  that  the  kopjes  had  all  been  fortified 
by  walls  of  rough  stones  round  the  summits,  and  that  these 
had  been  continuously  occupied  by  the  lower  class  of  Boer 
labourers  and  cattlemen.  The  Kaffirs  are  not  good  at  figures, 
but  by  careful  cross-examination,  Yorke  gained  the  informa- 
tion that  there  were  more  men  there  than  would  make  two  of 
the  regiments  they  had  seen  at  Orange  Eiver.  They  said  that 
more  would  move  up  from  behind  when  the  British  advance 
began,  and  that  the  leaders  and  the  richer  Boers  would  then 
arrive  in  their  Cape  carts  or  on  horseback.  The  Boers  felt 
confident  that  the  British  would  never  be  able  to  storm  their 
kopjes. 

These  kopjes  were  isolated  hills,  apparently  composed  of 
rough  boulders,  the  rock  from  which  they  were  formed  rising 
sharply  above  them.  About  Belmont  they  were  seldom  more 
than  five  hundred  feet  high,  but  in  many  cases  they  rose  fully 


THE  ADVANCE  107 

three  times  that  height,  and  it  was  up  two  of  these  lofty  crests 
that  Yorke  and  Hans  that  day  laboriously  climbed. 

As  soon  as  Yorke  had  written  down  the  information  he 
had  gathered,  he  dispatched  one  of  the  men  with  the  horses  to 
ride  back  with  it  to  Orange  River.  Yorke  instructed  the 
man  that  when  challenged  he  was  to  reply,  "A  friend  with 
despatches ; "  then  he  was  to  stand  still  till  the  sentry  called 
to  a  sergeant,  who  would  send  forward  two  men  to  conduct 
him  to  the  proper  authorities,  who  would  pass  him  on  to 
headquarters. 

Three  days  were  passed  at  the  same  work,  then  one  of 
the  messengers  brought  back  an  order  for  Yorke  to  join  the 
troops  on  the  following  evening  at  Fincham's  Farm,  half-way 
to  Belmont.  The  troops  would  halt  there  for  the  night,  and 
advance  to  the  attack  on  the  following  morning.  It  was  from 
Fincham's  Farm  that  Yorke  had  obtained  water  for  the  men 
and  horses.  Five  of  the  Kaffirs  had  been  down  there  every 
day,  in  charge  of  Hans,  with  the  horses,  to  give  the  animals  a 
good  drink  and  fill  the  men's  water-bottles,  there  being  no 
water  to  be  had  nearer.  Yorke  was  glad  to  receive  the  order, 
for  after  the  first  day  the  news  from  Belmont  had  varied  but 
little.  Some  fresh  parties  of  Boers  had  arrived,  but  not  in 
any  great  number ;  and  although  it  was  believed  that  a  stand 
could  be  successfully  made  at  Belmont,  it  was  intended  that 
the  great,  and,  as  expected,  final  blow  was  to  be  struck  at 
Magersfontein. 

The  party  started  early,  and  reconnoitred  all  the  hills  on 
the  way  down.  Late  in  the  afternoon  a  cloud  of  dust  was 
seen  out  on  the  plain.  No  moving  figures  could  be  made  out. 
It  might  have  been  a  sand-storm,  such  as  sprang  up  nearly 
every  afternoon,  but  Yorke  had  no  doubt  that  it  was  the  army, 
with  its  waggons  and  baggage.  When  he  rode  into  Fincham's 
Farm  he  found  Rimington's  Guides  and  the  Lancers  already 
there,  and  half  an  hour  later  the  head  of  the  column  marched 
in.  Their  figures  could  scarcely  be  made  out  until  they  were 
within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  place,  so  completely  did 


108  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

the  universal  khaki  disappear  in  the  cloud  of  dust  they  raised 
on  the  arid  plain  over  which  they  were  marching.  Yorke  and 
Hans  had  resumed  their  uniforms,  and  the  former  received  a 
hearty  greeting  from  Kinaington  and  his  officers. 

"How  have  you  got  on,  Harberton?"  the  major  asked 
cheerily. 

"  It's  been  hard  work,  and  by  no  means  exciting,  sir.  I  am 
afraid  that  such  news  as  I  have  sent  in  has  been  of  no  great 
use  to  the  general." 

"  Yes,  I  think  it  has  been  useful.  I  saw  the  quartermaster- 
general  yesterday,  and  he  said  that  your  scouts  were  doing 
very  well,  better  than  he  anticipated.  Thank  goodness,  work 
is  going  to  begin  at  last!  And  so  you  think  there  will  be  no 
stand  made  by  the  Boers  until  we  get  to  Belmont?" 

"  I  am  convinced  of  that.  The  Kaffirs  have  searched  every 
kopje  up  to  that  point.  Beyond  a  vedette  or  two  on  some 
of  the  hills,  they  have  no  force  whatever  'along  the  line  of  rail- 
way this  side  of  Belmont;  but  they  have  a  strong  body  there 
— from  two  thousand  to  two  thousand  five  hundred.  As  far 
as  I  can  make  out  they  have  a  few  guns  also.  I  got  near 
enough  to  make  out  with  my  glasses  that  they  were  at  work 
on  three  hills  from  four  to  five  miles  east  of  the  station. 
Their  guns  are  on  the  two  hills  farthest  east." 

"And  what  is  the  ground  like  behind!  Will  it  give  us 
any  chance  of  acting  on  their  line  of  retreat  ? " 

"  The  ground  is  very  rough  and  broken  behind  the  centre, 
and  there  is  a  big  range  of  hills — not  kopjes — still  farther 
behind.  To  their  right  is  some  flat  ground  where  the  cavalry 
could  act,  but  they  would  have  to  pass  through  a  line  of 
smaller  kopjes  forming  a  continuation  of  the  three  principal 
ones.  There  were  no  men  on  these  when  I  was  watching 
them  yesterday;  but  if  they  should  retreat  across  the  plain, 
a  small  body  of  them  placed  there  could  check  the  advance,  if 
not  stop  it  altogether." 

"Then,  if  I  understand  you,  Harberton,"  the  major  said, 
examining  the  leaf  of  the  pocket-book  on  which  Yorke  had 


THE  ADVANCE  109 

roughly  dotted  down  the  positions,  "we  could  move  along 
the  line  of  railway  without  the  Boers  being  able  to  trouble 
us  from  the  position  they  occupy  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  major ;  but  of  course  they  would  be  able  to 
come  down  behind  us  directly  we  pass,  and  attack  the  bag- 
gage-train. Being  all  mounted  men,  they  could  move  very 
fast." 

"Yes,  I  see  that  they  might  give  us  a  lot  of  trouble,  and 
I  should  think  Lord  Methuen  would  clear  them  out  before  we 
go  farther." 

Yorke  reported  himself  to  the  quartermaster-general,  and 
he  was  told  to  wait,  as  the  general  might  wish  to  question 
him  further ;  indeed,  five  minutes  later  he  was  sent  for.  The 
general  had  only  dismounted  a  few  minutes  before,  and  was 
now  in  a  room  in  the  farmhouse.  He  had  before  him  the 
rough  sketch  of  the  Boer  position  that  Yorke  had  sent  in  on 
the  previous  evening." 

"  The  information  you  have  gathered  is  valuable,  Mr.  Har- 
berton,  and,  rough  as  the  sketch  is,  it  has  given  us  a  better 
idea  of  the  Boer  position  than  we  had  previously  been  able 
to  gather  from  the  maps.  Do  I  understand  you  to  say  that 
if  the  Boers  were  prevented  from  making  off  across  this  level 
ground  to  the  right  rear  of  the  position,  they  would  be 
thrown  back  across  this  line  of  high  hills  which  is  marked  in 
my  map  as  Mont  Blanc  ? " 

"Yes,  sir.  I  went  up  to  the  highest  point  of  those  hills, 
and  so  far  as  I  could  see  they  would  have  to  go  by  a  road 
that  runs  round  the  foot  of  the  mountain  to  the  south-east. 
That  road  might  'be  cut  by  a  cavalry  force  making  its  way 
round  to  the  south  of  the  three  kopjes  from  Witputs  Station." 

"  And  what  is  the  length  of  front  along  these  three  kopjes 
at  present  held  by  them  ? " 

"  I  should  say  from  five  to  six  miles,  sir.  It  is  about  as  far 
from  the  right-hand  kopje  to  Belmont  Station;  the  left  or 
southern  kopje  is  a  good  deal  farther  from  the  line  of  rail- 
way." 


110  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"They  have  erected  breast-works  on  the  hill?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  rough  barricades  of  rocks  and  boulders.  Their 
horses  are  gathered  on  the  low  ground  behind  the  kopjes." 

"  You  do  not  think  they  will  fall  back  at  our  approach  ? " 

"I  should  not  think  they  would,  sir.  My  Kaffirs  say  that 
they  all  think  it  absolutely  impossible  for  the  troops  to  scale 
the  hills  in  the  teeth  of  their  rifle  fire." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.  You  are  attached  for  the  present  to 
Rimington's  Guides,  are  you  not?  You  had  better  continue 
with  them  until  your  Kaffirs  can  get  to  work  again.  You  still 
have  some  among  the  Boers,  have  you  not  ? " 

"Yes,  six  have  obtained  employment  witih  them.  My  in- 
structions were  that  they  were  to  retire  with  them,  and  that 
every  night  one  or  other  should  make  off  and  bring  in  news 
of  what  they  were  doing.  I  said  they  were  to  come  in  the 
first  place  to  Major  Rimington,  as  I  should  probably  be  there." 

The  general  nodded.  "  Thank  you,  Mr.  Harberton !  your 
arrangements  have  been  very  good." 

The  next  morning  the  column  advanced  to  a  farm  on  the 
road  on  the  western  side  of  the  railway  two  miles  from  Bel- 
mont.  The  movements  for  an  attack  on  the  following1  day 
were  <at  once  begun.  The  Ninth  Brigade — consisting  of  the 
Northampton  Regiment,  the  1st  Northumberland  Fusiliers, 
the  2nd  Yorkshire  Light  Infantry,  four  companies  of  the 
Loyal  North  Lancashire,  and  two  companies  of  the  1st  Royal 
Munsters — passed  the  station,  and  took  up  their  position  to 
the  north  of  it.  The  three  regiments  of  Guards  halted  at  a 
house  known  as  the  White  House,  some  four  miles  short  of 
the  station.  The  Naval  Brigade  had  just  come  up  after  a 
tremendous  march.  A  portion  of  the  cavalry  went  on  to 
the  town  of  Belmont — it  was  nearly  three  miles  beyond  the 
station — while  a  portion  remained  at  Witputs  Station. 

Unfortunately  in  this  arm  the  force  was  extremely  weak, 
the  cavalry  consisting  only  of  some  two  hundred  and  fifty 
9th  Lancers  and  Rimington's  Guides.  It  had  with  it  the 
18th  and  75th  Batteries  of  Field  Artillery,  and  numbered,  in 


BELMONT,  GRASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDEB  111 

all,  ten  thousand  infantry  and  artillery,  and  five  hundred 
sailors. 

Orders  were  issued  for  the  troops  to  be  under  arms  and 
ready  to  move  at  three  in  the  morning.  From  a  gun  visible 
on  the  crest  of  the  third  kopje  this  was  called  Gun  Hill, 
the  northern  was  christened  Table  Hill,  and  the  southern  was 
locally  known  as  Kaffir  Kop.  The  Guards  were  to  march 
against  Gun  Hill.  The  Naval  Brigade  were  to  cover  the 
right  of  the  Guards  from  any  attack  by  the  Boer  force  from 
Kaffir  Kop.  The  Northumberlands  and  Northamptons  were 
to  attack  Table  Hill,  while  the  other  regiments  of  the  brigade 
were  to  form  a  connecting  link  between  them  and  the  Guards. 
It  was  clear  from  these  instructions  that,  as  Kaffir  Kop  was 
not  to  be  attacked,  Lord  Methuen's  plan  was  to  throw  back 
the  Boer  right,  and  force  it  in  its  retreat  to  move  by  the 
road  south  of  Mont  Blanc,  and  so  sever  it  altogether  from 
the  Boer  forces  farther  north.  That  complete  success  did 
not  attend  the  operation  was  due  to  the  difficulty  of  moving 
in  the  dark  across  an  unknown  country. 


CHAPTER  VII 

BELMONT,  GRASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDER 

rwas  a  bright  moonlight  night  when  the  men  set  out 
on  their  march.  Orders  had  been  issued  that  absolute 
silence  was  to  prevail,  that  no  matches  were  to  be  struck, 
that  orders  were  to  be  delivered  by  signs  and  not  by  word 
of  command,  and  that  -at  each  halt  the  men  were  to  kneel 
down.  The  ground  was  undulating,  and  wherever  it  was 
possible  the  column  took  advantage  of  the  shadows  thrown  by 
the  rising  ground.  The  sight  of  these  bodies  of  men  moving 
almost  without  sound  across  the  sandy  soil,  on  which  their 
feet  fell  noiselessly,  was  almost  weird.  Occasionally  there 


112  WITH  BOBEETS  TO  PBETOBIA 

came  a  deep  rumble  of  wheels  as  the  guns  passed  over  a 
piece  of  rocky  ground,  and  a  murmur  of  annoyance  could 
be  heard  in  the  column,  for  all  knew  how  important  it  was 
that  they  should  get  as  near  as  possible  to  the  Boer  position 
uniheard. 

The  Grenadiers  led  the  way  in  the  right  column,  the  Scots 
Guards  were  on  their  left  rear,  the  two  battalions  of  Cold- 
streams  were  in  reserve.  Unfortunately  these  positions  were 
not  maintained.  The  Scots  Guards  came  up  abreast  of  the 
Grenadiers,  but  some  distance  to  their  left;  the  Grenadiers, 
instead  of  maintaining  their  direction,  bore  to  the  left  and 
marched  against  Kaffir  Kop;  the  Coldstreams  diverged  still 
further  to  the  left;  thus,  instead  of  being  concentrated  for 
the  attack  on  the  central  kopje,  the  brigade  were  scattered 
over  a  front  of  two  miles.  No  doubt  the  efforts  of  the  various 
battalions  to  find  out  each  others'  position  delayed  the  ad- 
vance, and  they  did  not  arrive  until  day  had  broken.  The 
sun  was  just  rising  over  the  eastern  hills  when  the  Grenadiers 
came  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the  foot  of  Kaffir  Kop. 
Suddenly  some  guns  placed  on  an  eminence  to  its  right 
opened  fire,  and  at  once  a  roar  of  musketry  came  from  the 
top  of  the  hill,  while  a  heavy  flanking  fire  also  opened  from 
Gun  Hill,  and  a  storm  of  bullets  swept  the  line,  many  men 
falling  at  once,  while  the  dust  rose  thickly  ground  them  as 
the  Mauser  bullets  pattered  fast  on  the  sand.  The  order  had 
been  given  that  the  troops  were  not  to  fire,  but  were  to  carry 
the  hill  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 

The  pause  was  a  short  one.  Joined  by  some  of  the  North- 
amptons,  who  apparently  had  also  missed  their  way,  the 
Grenadiers  fought  their  way  up  the  hill.  The  Boers  here, 
as  at  Talana,  on  the  other  side,  lost  heart  as  soon  as  they 
found  to  their  astonishment  that,  in  spite  of  their  tremendous 
fire,  the  troops  whom  they  had  despised  still  pressed  up  the 
hill.  They  did  not  await  their  arrival  at  the  crest,  but  fled 
precipitately  down  into  the  valley  behind  it,  >and  took  up  a 
fresh  position  on  another  hill  there.  .While  the  Grenadiers 


BELMONT,  QBASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDER  113 

had  been  engaged  in  this  short  but  desperate  conflict,  the  Scots 
Guards  on  their  left  had  effected  the  capture  of  the  central 
kopje.  They  rushed  to  the  attack  as  bravely  as  their  brothers- 
in-arms.  The  Boers  on  the  summit  had  opened  as  hot  a  fire 
upon  their  assailants  as  had  the  defenders  of  Kaffir  Kop,  but 
the  troops  were  not  exposed  to  sucih  a  terrible  cross-fire,  and 
the  consequence  was,  their  loss  was  comparatively  small. 

On  the  left  the  fighting  had  been  sharp.  The  enemy  had 
thrown  out  outposts  towards  the  railway  from  Table  Hill,  and 
the  Northamptons  were  soon  engaged  in  driving  them  in.  At 
the  foot  of  the  hill,  'however,  the  Boers  made  a  stand.  They 
had  thrown  up  some  stone  breast-works,  and  held  them  until 
the  Northamptons  pushed  forward  to  the  right  and  so  took 
the  defenders  of  the  sangars  in  flank,  and  forced  them  to  quit 
their  position  and  retire  to  the  hill.  The  two  regiments  then 
advanced  to  storm  the  position.  The  defence  of  the  Boers 
here  was  more  feeble  and  half-hearted  than  that  offered  at 
Gun  Hill  and  Kafilr  Kop.  On  gaining  the  summit  the  in- 
fantry halted  until  the  guns  came  up  and  opened  fire  on  the 
next  range  of  hills,  where  the  Boers,  driven  from  their  first 
line  of  defences,  had  now  ensconced  themselves,  keeping  up  a 
continuous  fire  from  among  the  rocks.  Two  regiments  ad- 
vanced and  seized  a  ridge  to  the  south,  from  which  the  Boers 
had  been  maintaining  a  flanking  fire ;  but  they  could  advance 
no  farther,  for  the  Yorkshires  and  Munsters,  who  should  have 
been  their  supports,  had  been  withdrawn. 

This  was  an  unfortunate  tactical  error.  Had  they  been 
with  their  brigade,  and  had  this  been  strengthened  by  one 
of  the  Coldstream  battalions,  our  left  could  have  pressed 
steadily  on  and  have  driven  the  Boers  by  the  south-east  route, 
wihere  they  would  have  been  harassed  as  they  passed  by  the 
fire  of  the  Guards  Brigade,  and  cut  up  by  the  little  body 
of  cavalry  that  had  arrived  there  from  Witputs.  The  Cold- 
streams  came  late  into  action,  but  they  attacked  and  carried 
the  hill  called  Mont  Blanc,  while  they  aided  the  Scots  Guards 
to  capture  another  eminence  to  the  south  of  that  hill.  They 

(M839)  H 


114  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

were  aided  by  the  artillery  and  by  the  guns  of  the  Naval 
Brigade,  which  now,  after  tremendous  efforts  by  the  marines 
and  sailors,  had  been  brought  up. 

The  enemy,  disheartened  at  the  manner  in  which  they  had 
been  driven  from  position  after  position,  now  gave  way 
altogether.  Their  only  means  of  retreat  was  to  cross  the  level 
ground  to  the  north-east,  and  had  there  been  a  strong  force 
of  cavalry,  with  a  battery  or  two  of  horse-artillery,  under 
Lord  Methuen's  orders,  their  defeat  would  have  been  con- 
verted into  a  disastrous  rout.  But  half  of  the  little  force 
were  on  the  other  flank,  there  was  no  horse-artillery,  and 
although  the  little  party  of  Lancers  and  Kimington's  Guides 
attempted  to  perform  the  work  assigned  to  them,  they  were 
unable  to  do  so.  The  broken  ground  running  north  from 
Table  Hill  was  held  by  a  strong  body  of  Boers,  who  covered 
the  retreat  of  their  waggons  and  guns.  In  no  case  could  they 
have  overtaken  the  flying  horsemen,  for  their  chargers  were 
worn  out  by  the  heavy  work  of  scouting  they  had  carried  on. 
Water,  too,  had  been  short  since  they  had  left  the  Orange 
River,  >and  after  suffering  a  good  many  casualties  they  fell 
back.  The  battle  was  virtually  over  by  six  o'clock,  having 
lasted  about  two  hours. 

Yorke  had  ridden  with  Rimington's  Guides  from  Belmont, 
and,  as  they  were  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  fighting-line,  had 
seen  little  indeed  of  the  combat.  That  the  British  were 
gaining  ground  was  evident  from  the  direction  from  which 
the  roar  of  battle  reached  them,  and  when  at  length  the  order 
came  for  them  to  advance,  they  had  ridden  forward  eagerly 
until  checked  by  the  heavy  fire  opened  from  the  low  line  of 
rocky  eminences  facing  them.  To  have  pressed  on  against 
riflemen  hidden  among  rocks  would  have  been  to  incur  certain 
and  heavy  loss,  and  might  have  deprived  the  army  of  its 
already  utterly  insufficient  cavalry  force;  consequently  Col- 
onel Gough,  who  was  in  command,  reluctantly  gave  the  order 
for  them  to  retire.  Yorke  had  the  evening  before  handed 
over  his  Kaffirs  to  the  medical  department  as  stretcher-bear- 


BELMONT,  GRASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDER  115 

erg,  and  as  soon  as  firing  ceased  and  it  was  evident  that  the 
battle  was  over,  he  rode  across  the  country  to  give  what  aid 
he  could  in  the  work. 

He  found  that  the  greater  part  of  the  British  wounded  had 
already  been  carried  off  by  the  troops,  some  in  the  ambulance 
waggons,  some  on  stretchers.  By  half -past  ten  the  infantry 
were  already  in  camp,  and  by  one  all  the  wounded  were  being 
attended  to  in  the  hospitals.  The  loss  of  the  Grenadiers, 
117  men  killed  or  wounded  and  10  officers,  exceeded  that 
suffered  by  the  whole  of  the  rest  of  the  division.  The 
Northumberlands  and  Northamptons  had  over  60  casualties 
among  the  men  and  6  among  their  officers;  of  these  the 
Northumberlands  had  by  far  the  larger  share.  Yorke,  after 
seeing  the  last  of  the  wounded,  Briton  and  Boer,  placed  on 
ambulances,  was  now  free,  and  fastening  his  horse  to  a  sage- 
bush,  he  and  Hans  ascended  the  hill  the  Grenadiers  had  won. 

On  reaching  the  summit  he  saw  that  it  had  been  carefully 
prepared  for  defence,  and  had  evidently  been  occupied  for  a 
long  time.  The  wall  was  not,  as  it  had  appeared,  continuous, 
but  was  broken  up  into  little  enclosures  or  forts,  each  suffi- 
ciently large  for  two  or  three  men  to  live  and  sleep  in ;  straw, 
old  sacking,  and  brushwood  formed  the  beds.  In  each  were 
generally  to  be  seen  tihe  ashes  of  a  fire,  a  cooking  pot,  meat 
tins,  fragments  of  bread,  and  other  signs  of  continued  occu- 
pation. 

Empty  cartridge-cases  littered  the  ground  everywhere,  while 
many  still  loaded  showed  how  hasty  had  been  the  flight  of 
the  Boers.  Several  dead  bodies  lay  in  these  little  forts ;  they 
were  for  the  most  part  of  men  of  the  lower  class,  farm-servants 
and  others,  with  rough  ill-fitting  clothes  and  closely-cropped 
heads.  Among  them,  however,  were  a  few  of  a  very  much 
superior  class,  clean  and  carefully  dressed,  but  these  were 
quite  the  exception;  and  Yorke  afterwards  heard  from  the 
prisoners  that  men  of  that  class  generally  sent  on  their  best 
horses,  and  rode  in  on  spare  animals  or  in  light  carriages  and 
carts,  and  as  soon  as  they  saw  that  the  fight  was  going  against 


116  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

them,  ran  down  the  hill,  jumped  on  to  their  fresh  horses,  and 
rode  off,  leaving  the  unmounted  men  to  fight  and  die. 
Eighty-three  Boers  were  found  dead,  but  it  was  certain  that 
the  bodies  of  many  of  the  better-class  Boers  had  been  carried 
off  when  they  fell.  More  than  fifty  prisoners  were  taken,  and 
twenty  wounded;  sixty-four  waggons  and  a  considerable 
number  of  horses  were  captured. 

The  next  day  all  the  wounded  were  sent  down  by  train. 
That  afternoon  the  troops  moved  forward  again,  knowing 
that  another  Boer  force  was  collected  at  Grasp  :^.n,  some  seven 
miles  to  the  North.  The  Ninth  Brigade  and  the  Naval 
Brigade  started  in  the  afternoon  for  Swingspan,  while  the 
Guards  moved  on  somewhat  later  with  the  Naval  guns, 
armoured  train,  and  baggage.  Lord  Methuen's  intention 
was  this  time  to  attack  the  left  of  the  Boer  position,  which 
was  planted  along  a  low  range  of  hills,  the  highest  and  most 
commanding  of  which  lay  on  their  left. 

The  Ninth  Brigade,  with  Eimington's  horse  and  the  Lan- 
cers, bivouacked  at  Swingspan,  a  deep  depression  in  a  valley 
surrounded  on  all  sides  by  hills  of  volcanic  origin.  The 
march  had  been  an  uneventful  one.  The  cavalry  had  scouted 
the  ground  in  front  of  them,  but  beyond  beating  up  a  herd 
of  springbok,  and  startling  an  occasional  covey  of  partridges, 
scaring  up  the  little  birds  called  dikkopfs,  and  sending  the 
lizards  hurrying  to  their  shelters,  they  saw  no  signs  of  life. 
The  effect  of  the  previous  day's  fight  was  evident  from  the 
fact,  that  although  the  line  of  march  was  everywhere  com- 
manded by  low  hills,  no  shot  was  fired.  It  was  difficult  for 
the  troops  gathered  round  the  pool  to  believe  that  the  smooth 
circle  of  hills  around  them  was  ages  ago  a  number  of  active 
volcanoes,  and  that  the  pool  might  itself  have  been  a  crater; 
but  the  fact  has  been  well  ascertained.  Fires  were  lighted, 
but  these  soon  burnt  down,  for  the  men  were  glad  to  stretch 
themselves  on  the  sands  and  fall  to  sleep  as  soon  as  the  kettles 
were  boiled  and  their  bread  had  been  eaten.  Pickets  went  up 
to  the  surrounding  hills,  and  one  of  these  found  in  a  sangar 


BELMONT,  GBASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDEB  117 

a  field-glass  and  walking-stick,  showing  that  the  Boers  had 
occupied  it  but  a  short  time  before. 

At  three  in  the  morning  the  troops  were  in  motion  again, 
and  marched  for  five  miles  towards  a  line  of  kopjes  some  three 
miles  from  the  railway-station.  The  station  bore  the  two 
names  of  Enslin  and  Graspan,  by  both  of  which  the  battle 
was  afterwards  called.  The  Lancers  scouted  ahead,  while 
Eimington's  Guides  watched  the  hills  on  the  right.  At  last 
the  enemy's  entrenchments  were  seen  extending  along  a  series 
of  kopjes.  Their  right  was  on  two  hills,  one  lying  on  each 
side  of  the  railway,  the  left  upon  a  high  conical  hill  three 
miles  to  the  east  of  it.  On  the  ridges  between  were  several 
guns,  and  through  field-glasses  the  Boers  could  be  seen  hur- 
rying towards  the  eastern  kopje,  against  which  they  already 
perceived  our  main  attack  would  be  delivered.  One  of  the 
field-batteries  at  once  advanced  and  opened  fire  against  this 
hill. 

The  armour-plated  train  had  moved  to  Graspan  station, 
and  the  sailors  got  out  two  of  their  twelve-pounder  guns, 
leaving  the  others  in  the  waggons,  as  there  were  not  hands 
enough  to  work  them.  Presently  these  were  joined  by  two 
batteries  of  artillery,  and  at  half-past  six  all  opened  fire. 
Two  companies  of  the  Northumberlands  acted  as  a  covering 
party,  and  the  rest  were  to  line  a  low  crest  to  the  right  and 
keep  touch  with  the  other  battalions  of  the  brigade  posted 
there  to  oppose  any  movement  that  might  be  made  from  the 
Boer  centre.  Of  such  a  movement,  however,  there  was  but 
little  probability,  as  the  Boers  from  that  point  were  galloping 
with  all  haste  to  reinforce  the  defenders  of  the  hill  which  was 
about  to  be  assailed. 

For  two  hours  the  fight  was  purely  an  artillery  duel,  the 
Naval  guns  and  those  of  the  two  batteries  being  answered  by 
six  guns,  a  Hotchkiss,  and  a  Maxim.  These  were  well  hidden 
from  sight  behind  the  crest  line,  and  it  was  only  by  the  light 
smoke  that  rose  above  them  that  our  gunners  were  enabled  to 
direct  their  fire.  The  Guards  were  in  rear,  and  were  held  in 


118  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

reserve  to  take  part  in  the  fight  wherever  their  services  might 
be  most  required.  The  Naval  Brigade  were  upon  the  extreme 
right,  and  it  was  upon  them  that  the  honour  of  the  assault 
was  to  fall.  Entrenchments  had  been  thrown  up  by  the 
enemy  along  the  whole  range  of  kopjes.  It  was  evident  that 
the  Boers  were  in  no  way  discouraged  by  their  defeat  two 
days  before,  for  a  very  large  body  of  mounted  men  were 
seen  far  out  on  our  flank,  in  readiness  to  swoop  down  if  we 
recoiled  in  confusion  after  failing  to  carry  their  position. 
Kimington's  Guides  were  detached  to  watch  and  keep  in  check 
this  force.  At  eight  o'clock  the  two  batteries  of  Royal  Ar- 
tillery moved  away  to  the  right  to  concentrate  their  fire  on 
the  kopje  about  to  be  attacked,  and  the  Naval  guns  were 
ordered  to  withdraw,  as  the  Boers  had  now  accurately  obtained 
their  distance  and  were  keeping  up  a  tremendous  fire  with 
shrapnel  upon  them. 

The  enemy's  fire,  however,  was  so  incessant  and  well- 
directed,  that  the  officer  in  command,  feeling  that  to  attempt 
to  withdraw  the  guns  would  lead  to  the  annihilation  of  the 
men  engaged  in  the  work,  maintained  his  position,  the  men 
throwing  themselves  on  the  ground  at  each  flash  of  the 
enemy's  guns  and  then  leaping  up  and  working  their  own 
pieces.  So  well  were  these  served  and  directed  that  the  guns 
opposed  to  them  were  gradually  silenced. 

The  Naval  Brigade,  composed  of  two  hundred  marines  and 
forty  blue-jackets,  at  last  advanced  in  skirmishing  order,  and 
pushed  round  to  the  right  of  the  kopje.  Although  they  were 
within  nine  hundred  yards  of  it  not  a  rifle  was  fired,  and 
it  seemed  as  if  the  fire  of  the  two  batteries  had  completely 
cleared  out  its  defenders.  The  Lancers  had  moved  still  far- 
ther to  the  right,  to  prevent  any  body  of  Boers  coming  down 
through  a  break  in  the  hills  there  to  take  the  Naval  Brigade 
in  flank. 

The  ground  over  which  they  were  moving  was  completely 
exposed.  Having  gained  the  desired  position,  the  Naval 
Brigade  now  moved  direct  for  the  kopje,  closing  up  somewhat 


BELMONT,  GRASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDEB  119 

as  they  converged  upon  its  base.  When  within  six  hundred 
yards  from  the  summit,  from  every  rock  and  boulder  a  storm 
of  fire  flashed  out,  and  a  hail  of  bullets  swept  the  line.  The 
men  lay  down  and  returned  the  fire,  but  that  of  the  hidden 
foe,  enormously  superior  in  numbers,  was  not  to  be  checked. 
The  North  Lancashires  who  were  following  the  Naval  men 
completely  lost  sight  of  them,  so  great  was  the  cloud  of  dust 
raised  by  the  bullets  ploughing  up  the  sand.  It  was  evident 
that  to  remain  inactive  was  to  court  annihilation,  and  Cap- 
tain Prothero,  E.  N.,  gave  the  word  for  the  advance  at  the 
double,  and  the  men  leaping  to  their  feet  rushed  to  within 
four  hundred  yards  of  the  base.  Then  a  terrific  fire  was 
opened  from  a  projecting  spur. 

The  men  fell  fast,  but  again  made  a  rush  to  within  two 
hundred  yards  of  the  base  of  the  hill.  Prothero  had  fallen 
wounded;  Ethelston,  the  second  in  command,  was  killed, 
Major  Plumbe  of  the  marines  called  upon  his  men,  who  nobly 
responded ;  he  himself  was  shot  dead  before  he  had  gone  ten 
yards,  and  Lieutenant  Saunders  of  the  Powerful  now  rushed 
to  the  front.  The  Maxim  gun  that  had  accompanied  them 
remained  immovable,  every  one  of  the  men  who  worked  it 
having  fallen.  They  reached  the  base  of  the  kopje  and  there 
threw  themselves  down  to  breathe.  They  had  left  half  their 
comrades  and  nearly  all  their  officers  behind  them.  The  din 
was  appalling,  the  two  British  batteries  maintaining  a  con- 
tinuous fire  on  the  face  and  summit  of  the  hill.  The  York- 
shire Light  Infantry,  followed  by  the  North  Lancashires, 
came  rushing  forward  to  the  support  of  the  naval  men,  and  in 
open  order  with  bayonets  fixed  they  and  the  marines  began  to 
make  their  way  up. 

The  Boers  did  not  await  the  onslaught,  but  deserted  their 
entrenchments  and  rocks  and  fled,  the  greater  portion  making 
their  way  along  a  valley  through  which  ran  a  road  to  the 
north,  only  a  few  joining  their  friends  along  the  line  of  hills. 
In  the  centre  of  the  position  a  handful  of  desperate  men 
defended  the  rocks  to  the  last,  and  were  bayoneted  there. 


120  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOB1A 

Seeing  that  the  position  they  had  deemed  impregnable  had 
been  captured  the  Boers  began  to  retreat,  drawing  off  their 
guns  with  them.  Again  the  weakness  in  cavalry  prevented 
pursuit ;  and  indeed  both  the  Lancers  and  Rimington's  Guides 
were  too  far  away  to  be  brought  up  in  time  for  a  successful 
pursuit  of  the  mounted  men,  who  formed  the  majority  of 
the  enemy's  force.  As  to  those  unprovided  with  ponies,  they 
had  but  to  scatter  over  the  hills  where  cavalry  could  not 
follow  them,  lie  hidden  among  the  boulders,  and  make  off 
after  nightfall. 

The  loss  had  been  heavy.  Of  the  Naval  Brigade  six  officers 
and  ninety-nine  men  were  killed  or  wounded;  the  Yorkshires 
had  fifty-three  casualties,  and  the  North  Lancashires  twenty. 
The  Guards'  Brigade  were  not  engaged;  they  closed  up  at  the 
end  of  the  action,  but  were  not  called  upon  to  fire  a  shot. 

All  but  two  of  Yorke's  Kaffirs  who  had  been  away  came 
into  camp  after  the  battle  was  over.  They  had  left  the  wag- 
gons while  the  fight  was  going  on,  and  had  hidden  among  the 
rocks  until  night  fell.  None  had  gained  any  information  as 
to  the  Boer  position  on  the  Modder.  None  of  the  Boers  whom 
they  had  heard  conversing  had  been  there.  They  had  been 
told  that  the  British  would  never  get  across  the  river,  and 
even  if  they  did  so  they  would  assuredly  never  be  able  to 
break  through  the  strong  position  at  Magersfontein,  where 
Cronje  intended  to  .arrest  their  further  advance.  They  had 
heard  that  no  natives  had  been  allowed  to  accompany  the 
Boers  who  were  posted  on  the  Modder  Eiver,  and  that  all  new- 
comers had  been  directed  to  Graspan,  a  step  which  Yorke  con- 
cluded was  designed  to  prevent  spies  or  well-wishers  to  the 
British  from  seeing  the  preparations  that  were  made.  He 
reported  <as  usual  to  the  quartermaster-general. 

"  It  is  a  pity  that  we  can't  get  some  news  as  to  what  they 
are  doing,  Mr.  Harberton,  but  certainly  you  have  done  all 
that  is  possible  that  way." 

"I  will  try  and  go  in  disguise,  sir,  if  you  will  give  me 
leave." 


BELMONT,  GBA8PAN,  AND  THE  MODDEB  121 

"I  do  not  think  there  is  any  chance  whatever  that  your 
attempt  would  be  successful.  It  is  evident  that  Cronje  is 
determined  that  his  plans  shall  be  kept  secret.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  you  could,  as  you  have  already  done,  join  any 
commando  you  wished,  with  a  fair  chance  of  a  plausible  story 
being  believed.  But  the  fact  that  ail  the  new  arrivals  were 
sent  on  here,  and  that  even  Kaffir  drivers  are  not  allowed  to 
approach  the  river,  shows  that  no  ordinary  story  would  pass 
muster  for  a  moment.  You  would  simply  be  going  to  your 
death." 

"  It  has  been  tougher  work  than  we  expected,  Harberton," 
one  of  the  officers  of  the  Tigers  said  to  Yorke  the  next  day. 
"  Of  course  we  thrashed  them,  but  the  loss  has  been  heavy, 
and  as  these  kopjes  are  scattered  all  over  the  country,  we 
may  have  to  fight  any  number  of  battles  like  this.  You  see, 
the  beggars  only  have  to  ride  off  on  their  ponies  and  take 
up  a  fresh  position ;  necessarily  we  are  kept  at  a  distance  out 
of  fire;  and  before  we  can  take  up  the  pursuit  and  cross  the 
hills  they  have  been  defending,  they  have  got  a  couple  of 
miles  start  of  us.  Besides,  their  horses  are  ever  so  much 
fresher  than  ours,  so  they  could  go  on  at  that  game  for  a  very 
long  time,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  their  losses  are  much 
lighter  than  ours  as  we  are  always  fighting  in  the  open,  while 
they  are  so  hidden  behind  rocks  that  we  don't  get  sight  of 
them  until  they  begin  to  bolt.  However,  we  shall  be 
stronger  to-morrow,  for  I  hear  that  the  Argyle  and  Suther- 
lands  will  be  up.  That  will  a  good  deal  more  than  fill  up  the 
vacancies  caused  by  our  causalties  at  Belmont  and  here." 

The  next  day  was  passed  in  quiet,  but  on  the  27th,  after 
the  wounded  had  been  sent  off  by  train,  the  force  moved 
forward  to  the  pools  of  Honeynest,  eight  miles  south  of  the 
Modder.  The  march  had  been  short,  for  the  heat  was  great, 
and  after  halting  the  troops  revelled  in  the  luxury  of  a  bath, 
the  fact  that  the  water  was  thick  and  muddy  scarcely  de- 
tracting from  their  enjoyment.  The  next  morning  one  of 
Eimington's  Guides  oame  in  and  reported  that  he  had  been 


122  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

fired  at  from  an  apparently  empty  house  near  the  river,  and 
half  an  hour  later  another  of  Yorke's  Kaffirs  came  in  and  told 
Yorke  that  the  Boers  with  whom  he  had  been,  had  made  a  long 
detour  after  the  battle  and  had  arrived  at  the  Spytfontein 
kopjes.  He  found  that  there  were  very  strong  works  there, 
but  that  they  were  not  strongly  occupied ;  and  he  had  learned 
that  a  part  of  the  force  had  some  days  before  moved  towards 
the  Modder,  but  that  no  communication  was  allowed  between 
them  and  Spytfontein. 

Yorke  at  once  went  and  reported  the  news.  "  That  is 
important,"  the  officer  said.  "  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  come 
with  me  at  once  to  Lord  Methuen,  and  you  may  as  well  bring 
your  native  with  you,  the  general  may  wish  to  question  him 
further." 

The  general  indeed  considered  the  information  of  such  im- 
portance that  he  sent  at  once  for  one  of  Rimington's  Guides, 
who  spoke  Kaffir  perfectly,  and  through  him  asked  the  native 
many  questions.     There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  news  that 
the  main  body  of  the  Boers  had  at  any  rate  moved  forward 
towards  the  Modder  influenced  him  in  deciding  upon  the 
course  he  adopted.     It  had  before  been  open  to  him  to  leave 
a  battalion  to  hold  the  railway  bridge,  to  prevent  any  Boers 
who  might  be  there  from  crossing,  and  so  cover  the  line  of 
communication,  while  with  the  rest  of  his  force  he  made 
detour  through  Jacobsdal,   and,  making   a  wide  sweep, 
French's  cavalry  did  later  on,  come  down  upon  Kimberlt 
from  the  north;    but  the  fact  that  a  large  main  Boer 
was  massed,  if  not  at  the  Modder,  at  some  place  near,  alt 
the  situation.     The  river  was  fordable  at  many  points,  am 
were  he  to  move  away  Cronje  might  throw  his  whole  fc 
across,  crush  the  detached  battalion,  and  take  possession  pi 
the  railway.    It  was,  therefore,  imperative  that  the  direct  ac 
vance  upon  Kimberley  should  be  adopted. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  afterwards  the  general,  with  two  staf 
officers,  rode  down  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Me 
but  all  appeared  still  there.    The  banks  were  fringed  wil 


BELMONT,  GBASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDEB  123 

bushes;  a  few  horses,  doubtless  belonging  to  a  party  of  Boer 
scouts,  grazed  quietly  near  these.  A  mile  away  to  the  right 
were  the  hotels  and  gardens  of  the  village;  far  beyond  them 
were  the  hills  of  Spytfontein  and  Magersfontein.  There  was 
high  ground  two  or  three  thousand  yards  behind  the  river. 
To  the  right  of  the  railway  the  Eiet  River  joined  the  Modder. 
No  signs  of  any  large  body  of  the  enemy,  no  earth-works  or 
other  preparations  for  defence,  could  be  perceived.  Although 
he  and  his  staff  were  within  easy  range  of  the  river-bank  not 
a  shot  was  fired,  and  Lord  Methuen  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  passage  would  be  opposed  at  most  by  a  comparatively 
small  body  of  the  Boers,  and  that  not  until  he  had  advanced 
some  distance  would  he  come  upon  a  position  where  Cronje 
was  prepared  to  give  battle.  Accordingly  he  decided  to  lose 
no  time. 

Yorke  had  ridden  out  with  a  party  of  Rimington's  men  and 
ascended  a  low  hill,  from  which  they  obtained  an  excellent 
view  of  the  country.  The  Riet  came  down  at  a  sharp  angle 
to  the  point  of  its  junction  with  the  Modder.  It  was  fringed 
on  both  sides  with  willows,  and  an  enemy  lying  along  this 
line  would  take  in  flank  a  force  advancing  towards  the 
broken  railway  bridge.  But  even  with  their  field-glasses  they 
could  see  no  sign  of  life  near  its  banks.  Albrecht,  Cronje's 
engineer  officer,  knew  his  work,  and  had  done  it  well.  A  very 
large  body  of  Boers  had  been  at  work  night  and  day  for  a  fort- 
night, and  within  the  line  of  willows  and  bushes  deep  trenches 
had  been  dug  from  which  the  Boers  could  fire  with  scarcely 
any  danger  to  themselves.  Gun  emplacements  had  been 
formed  on  the  northern  bank  both  of  the  Riet  and  Modder, 
and  had  been  so  arranged  that  the  guns  could  be  easily  shifted 
from  one  point  to  another  whenever  our  gunners  discovered 
their  exact  position  and  got  the  range.  The  houses  and  walls 
had  all  been  loopholed.  On  the  hills  behind  some  very  heavy 
guns  had  been  placed,  batteries  had  been  erected  on  the  rising 
ground  near  the  village,  and  trenches  dug  everywhere  close  to 
the  farther  side  of  the  rivers.  Nearly  ten  thousand  men  were 


124  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

lying  down  in  absolute  stillness,  eagerly  awaiting  the  moment 
when  their  unsuspecting  enemies  should  fall  into  the  trap  so 
carefully  prepared  for  them.  The  Transvaal  commandos  held 
the  line  from  the  railway  bridge,  and  far  up  the  bank  of  the 
Eiet,  while  west  of  the  bridge  to  the  village  the  Free  State 
men  were  posted. 

"  It  looks  all  right,"  one  of  the  officers  with  the  party  said. 
"  I  cannot  make  out  a  single  soul  stirring." 

"  I  think  it  almost  too  still,"  another  one  said.  "  There 
must  anyhow  be  some  Boers  about,  and  we  should  see  them 
moving  if  there  was  not  an  imperative  order  for  them  not  to 
show  themselves.  It  is  impossible  to  believe  that  they  will 
allow  us  to  cross  the  river  without  firing  a  shot,  or  that,  as 
they  have  known  for  some  time  past  that  we  were  coming, 
they  should  have  made  no  preparations  for  defence." 

"  Perhaps  only  a  few  hundred  of  them  are  there,"  another 
said.  "  They  may  have  got  such  a  strong  position  farther  on 
that  they  prefer  to  fight  us  there.  If  they  were  to  keep  us 
from  crossing,  they  would  not  have  gained  much ;  but  if  they 
were  to  defeat  us  somewhere  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
the  disaster  might  be  a  terrible  one,  for  a  force  could  come 
down  behind  us  and  cut  off  our  retreat." 

"  But  they  can  never  defeat  us,"  the  first  speaker  said. 

"  No,  we  may  feel  pretty  sure  of  that;  but  the  Boers  are  so 
confident  in  their  own  fighting  powers  that  they  may  very 
well  believe  that  they  will  do  so,  and,  of  course,  their  disposi- 
tions will  be  in  accordance  with  their  belief  and  not  with 
ours.  There  is  the  general  with  his  two  staff  officers  riding 
back.  You  see,  not  a  shot  has  been  fired  at  them." 

"  It  certainly  looks  as  if  they  did  not  intend  to  dispute  the 
passage  of  the  river,"  another  officer  said;  "  though  they  may 
have  left  a  few  hundred  men  as  a  rear-guard  when  the  force 
retired.  It  is  evident  that  the  Boers  prefer  hill-fighting." 

At  four  o'clock  the  next  morning  the  troops  moved  forward, 
the  infantry  leading  the  way,  followed  by  the  cavalry  and 
artillery.  When  they  reached  the  level  plain  sloping  gradually 


BELMONT,  GBASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDEB  125 

towards  the  river,  and  some  three  miles  across,  the  advanced 
guard  were  fired  upon  by  the  Boers  at  the  extremity  of  their 
position  on  the  Eiet.  The  Lancers  galloped  forward  in  that 
direction,  two  batteries  following  them,  and  at  seven  o'clock 
opened  fire,  and  drove  the  Boers  from  their  advanced  posts. 
The  cavalry  then  threatened  to  cross  the  river,  but  were 
forced  to  retire  before  a  heavy  rifle-fire,  and  took  up  their 
position  further  back  in  order  to  cover  the  right  flank  should 
the  Boers  take  the  offensive.  Three  Boer  guns  now  began 
to  exchange  shots  with  our  batteries,  but  one  of  them  was 
effectually  silenced,  and  the  others  fired  only  occasionally. 

In  the  meantime  the  infantry  had  been  advancing  in  open 
order.  To  the  right  of  the  railway  were  the  2nd  Coldstreams, 
the  Grenadiers,  the  Scots  Fusiliers,  and  a  wing  of  the  1st 
Coldstreams.  On  the  left  of  the  line  were  the  North  Lanca- 
ehires,  the  Yorkshires,  Northumberlands,  the  Argyle  and 
Sutherland  Highlanders,  with  half  a  battalion  of  the  1st 
Coldstreams  in  reserve.  On  that  side  was  one  battery  of 
artillery;  the  naval  guns  took  up  their  position  close  to  the 
line.  So  far  Lord  Methuen  had  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
he  was  opposed  by  a  larger  force  than  that  which  had  estab- 
lished itself  on  the  further  bank  of  the  Eiet.  Accordingly 
there  was  no  check  to  the  advance.  The  noise  of  battle  there 
had  ceased,  and  parties  of  the  enemy  could  "be  seen  in  retreat. 

Cronje's  plan  had  so  far  succeeded  admirably.  He  had 
led  his  enemy  to  believe  that  they  had  but  a  small  force 
opposed  to  them,  and  that  this  was  already  in  retreat,  and 
therefore,  tempted  them  on  to  the  plain,  where  they  would 
be  exposed  to  a  murderous  fire  along  their  whole  front,  and 
which  would  be  swept  also  by  the  strong  force  on  the  Riet. 
Not  a  shot  was  fired  until  the  leading  companies  of  the 
Guards  were  within  a  thousand  yards  of  the  river,  when  from 
the  screen  of  trees  and  bush  a  line  of  fire  burst  out,  and  a 
hail  of  bullets  swept  the  plain.  Though  many  fell,  no  con- 
fusion was  caused  by  this  terrible  surprise.  The  Guards,  at 
once  lay  down  and  steadily  returned  the  fire  of  their  invisible 


126  WITH  BOBEETS  TO  PBETOBU 

foes.  There  was  no  shelter  to  be  taken,  no  favouring  rock 
or  bush.  The  plain  was  perfectly  even  and  bare.  Some  were 
fortunate  enough  to  find  an  ant-hill  between  them  and  their 
foe,  others  some  scrub  eight  or  ten  inches  only  in  height,  but 
most  of  them  lay  on  the  bare  sand. 

It  was  well  for  them  that  they  had  marched  that  day 
without  their  greatcoats,  for  these  would  have  shown  up 
clearly  upon  the  light  sand,  whereas  at  a  thousand  yards  the 
khaki-clad  figures  could  scarcely  be  made  out  by  the  keenest- 
sighted  Boer.  The  scream  of  the  bullets  overhead  was  un- 
ceasing; the  dust  was  knocked  up  as  if  by  a  hail-storm 
driven  by  a  mighty  wind;  and  even  above  the  rattle  of  the 
musketry  and  the  roar  of  cannon,  the  quick  thud  of  the 
machine-guns  firing  one-pound  shells — afterwards  called  by 
the  men  pom-poms — added  a  new  horror  to  warfare. 

The  Scots  Guards  had  suffered  most  from  this  outburst  of 
fire,  because  they  were  nearest  to  the  Riet,  and  therefore 
more  exposed  to  the  flanking  fire  of  the  Transvaalers  there 
than  were  the  battalions  to  their  left.  Their  Maxim  was 
almost  immediately  disabled  by  the  pom-pom,  and  most  of 
the  men  serving  it  killed.  To  remain  in  the  position  meant 
annihilation,  and  they  fell  back  a  few  hundred  yards  to  an 
old  reservoir. 

The  Grenadiers  and  the  2nd  Coldstreams  were  fortunate  in 
finding  some  little  protection  under  a  very  slight  rise  in  the 
ground.  All  through  the  day  the  Guardsmen  lay  prone  in  the 
positions  in  which  they  had  first  halted.  To  retreat  under 
that  ceaseless  hail  of  fire  would  have  been  as  dangerous  as  to 
advance.  There  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  lie  still  and  suffer. 
The  sun  beat  down  upon  them  with  withering  heat.  Most  of 
them  lay  with  their  rifles  under  them,  for  the  breaches  and 
barrels  were  too  hot  to  handle.  They  were  parched  by  a 
terrible  thirst,  and  many  were  wounded,  but  neither  water 
nor  stretcher  could  be  carried  to  them  through  the  hail  of 
bullets.  The  streams  of  balls  from  the  pom-poms  tried  them 
even  more  than  the  bullets.  At  times  there  was  a  slight  lull 


BELMONT,  GRA8PAN,  AND  THE  MODDER  127 

in  the  firing,  but  the  slightest  movement  caught  the  eyes  of 
the  watchful  foe,  and  then  it  broke  out  again  with  renewed 
fury.  It  was  clear  from  the  first  that  nothing  could  be  done 
on  this  side  of  the  railway,  and  that  the  coming  of  darkness 
could  alone  bring  relief. 

Happily,  however,  things  were  going  better  to  the  left  of 
the  railway.  The  two  batteries  of  artillery  had  galloped 
across  to  that  side,  and  pushing  on  with  extreme  bravery,  had 
opened  a  heavy  fire  upon  the  village  and  the  Boer  entrench- 
ments. They  were  exposed  not  only  to  a  continuous  mus- 
ketry fire,  but  to  a  cannonade  from  the  Boer  guns  on  the 
heights,  more  numerous  and  of  heavier  metal  than  their  own; 
but  they  maintained  their  ground,  aided  by  the  four  12- 
pounders  of  the  naval  men.  At  half-past  eleven,  however, 
one  of  the  batteries  had  to  fall  back,  having  lost  heavily,  and 
having  nearly  exhausted  its  ammunition.  Twenty-five 
horses  were  killed  as  they  dragged  the  guns  back,  and  the 
officers'  chargers  had  to  be  harnessed  in  their  places. 

It  was  due  chiefly  to  the  artillery  that  the  day  was  finally 
won.  Not  only  did  they  keep  down  the  fire  of  the  Boer 
marksmen  by  a  hail  of  shrapnel,  and  shake  the  courage  of 
the  Free  State  men,  but  our  men,  lying  "themselves  helpless, 
were  cheered  by  the  knowledge  that  our  guns  might  yet  be 
preparing  a  way  for  them  to  advance  and  to  come  within 
striking  distance  of  their  lurking  foes. 

Until  two  o'clock  but  little  progress  had  been  made  on  the 
left  by  the  sorely-tried  troops.  The  advance  had  been  brought 
to  a  stand-still  when  it  reached  a  point  abreast  of  that  ob- 
tained by  the  Guards.  The  frontal  fire  was  as  heavy,  but 
they  were  not,  like  their  comrades,  scourged  by  a  flanking 
fire,  for  although  a  party  of  Boers  had  pressed  some  distance 
round  the  extreme  left,  where  there  was  rough  ground  that 
afforded  some  shelter,  these  were  kept  in  check  by  the  fire 
of  the  North  Lancashires. 

At  two  o'clock  relief  was  furnished  to  the  gunners  by  the 
arrival  of  another  battery,  which  had  made  a  tremendous 


128  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

march  from  Belmont,  and  had  now  come  up  in  time  to  take 
part  in  the  desperate  struggle.  They  at  once  came  into 
action,  and  aided  in  sweeping  the  Boer  position  with  shrap- 
nel. Lord  Methuen  moved  as  many  troops  as  could  be  spared 
from  the  right  to  aid  in  the  left  attack,  where  alone  success 
seemed  possible.  The  fire  of  the  newly-arrived  battery 
speedily  drove  the  Boers  established  on  our  extreme  left 
across  the  river,  and  the  fire  from  the  Free  Staters,  in  their 
trenches  among  the  willows  on  the  south  side,  began  to 
slacken,  affording  ground  for  the  belief  that  here  also  they 
were  becoming  demoralized  by  the  fire  to  which  they  were 
exposed,  and  were  crossing  the  stream.  The  Yorkshires, 
Northumberlands,  and  Highlanders  sprang  to  their  feet,  and 
with  a  rush  charged  a  farmhouse  strongly  held  which  had 
covered  the  approach  to  the  drift.  The  Boers  here  fled  at 
once,  and  the  troops,  without  halting,  dashed  forward,  cheer- 
ing loudly,  delighted  that  at  last  they  had  become  the  assail- 
ants. Closely  following  the  Boers,  they  reached  the  weir, 
erected  across  the  river  to  deepen  the  water  above,  and  made 
their  way  across  holding1  by  an  iron  bar  above  it. 

The  feat  was  performed  under  a  tremendous  fire.  Though 
man  after  man  fell,  those  behind  crept  forward  until  four 
hundred  men  had  crossed  and  established  themselves  on  the 
northern  bank.  Two  hundred  of  the  Lancashires  followed 
them.  It  was  a  great  success,  and  decided  the  fortune  of  the 
day,  although  for  a  time  this  still  hung  in  the  balance. 
General  Pole-Carew,  who  was  in  command  of  the  brigade,  led 
them  along  the  bank,  pressing  on  towards  the  Boer  centre. 
Cronje,  however,  drew  supports  from  his  left,  and  after  win- 
ning their  way  for  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  the  pressure 
brought  to  bear  against  the  British  was  too  great  to  be  with- 
stood. Opposed  by  a  greatly  superior  force  in  front,  and 
suffering  from  a  flanking  fire  from  the  entrenched  slopes 
above  them,  the  troops  fell  slowly  back  again,  but  maintained 
themselves  near  the  dam  against  all  the  efforts  of  the  Boers 
to  drive  them  across  it. 


BELMONT,  GBASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDEB  129 

So  the  fight  went  on  until  darkness  fell  and  the  fire  ceased. 
The  troops  could  do  no  more.  They  had  been  at  work 
since  four  in  the  morning,  without  breakfast;  they  had 
suffered  tortures  from  heat  and  thirst  during1  their  long 
hours  of  inactivity,  they  had  throughout  the  day  been 
exposed  to  a  terrible  fire,  which  they  had  been  unable  to 
return  effectually;  and  General  Colville,  who  had  succeeded 
to  the  command  at  half-past  five,  when  Lord  Methuen  had 
been  wounded,  felt  that  he  could  ask  no  more  of  them,  and 
contented  himself  with  making  preparations  for  passing 
the  whole  force  early  next  morning  across  the  dam  Pole- 
Carew  had  won.  But  in  the  morning  the  Boers  had  gone. 
With  his  right  turned,  and  the  Free  Staters  utterly  demoral- 
ized, Cronje  felt  that  he  could  not  hope  to  prevent  the  main 
body  of  the  British  from  crossing,  in  which  case  they  would 
be  placed  between  him  and  Kimberley,  and  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  him  to  regain  the  position  he  had  so  carefully 
prepared.  The  Boers,  therefore,  silently  left  the  entrench- 
ments they  had  occupied  and  marched  away  to  Spyt- 
fontein. 

Had  the  men  from  the  Free  State  possessed  the  hardihood 
of  those  from  the  Transvaal,  it  is  morally  certain  that  no 
passage  of  the  river  could  have  been  effected;  but  the 
military  system  which,  north  of  the  Vaal  was  vigorous 
though  irregular,  and  made  every  man  a  soldier,  was  but  a 
shadow  in  the  Orange  Free  State.  At  peace  with  their 
neighbours,  fearing  no  attack,  on  good  terms  with  the  British 
Government,  whose  territory  adjoined  their  own  to  the 
south  and  west,  and  for  the  most  part  to  the  east,  save  where 
Basutoland,  wholly  under  British  influence,  touched  them,  it 
seemed  there  was  no  occasion  to  maintain  a  military  organi- 
zation. They  had  given  themselves  up  to  peaceful  pursuits, 
and  although  a  pastoral  people,  were  immeasurably  in  ad- 
vance of  their  neighbours  north  of  the  Vaal.  The  majority, 
too,  wholly  disapproved  of  the  war  into  which  the  ambition 
of  their  president  had  forced  them,  and  in  such  a  mood 

(M839)  I 


130  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

might  well  be  shaken  by  the  terrible  bombardment  they 
had  to  face. 

Considering  the  incessant  fire  to  which,  for  some  twelve 
hours,  the  British  troops  had  been  exposed,  it  is  remarkable 
that  our  casualties  should  not  have  exceeded  four  hundred 
and  fifty.  Of  these  one  hundred  and  twelve  were  contributed 
by  the  Argyle  and  Sutherland  Highlanders,  and  sixty-nine 
by  the  Coldstreams. 

But  even  to  the  troops  lying  helpless  all  day,  the  hours 
had  not  passed  more  slowly  and  painfully  than  to  the 
cavalry  in  their  enforced  inactivity.  They  had  dismounted 
to  ease  their  horses,  and  the  men  and  officers  of  Eimington's 
Guides  stood  in  little  groups  ready  to  mount  at  a  moment's 
notice. 

"  It  is  awful,"  one  of  the  officers  said;  "  it  is  simply  awful! 
One  would  think  that  not  a  single  man  exposed  to  that 
storm  of  fire  would  be  found  alive  at  the  end  of  the  day. 
What  maddens  one  is  the  thought  that  all  this  might  have 
been  spared  us,  if  we  had  not  blundered  into  it  as  if  we  had 
been  going  to  a  picnic.  Why,  if  only  a  troop  of  us  had 
been  sent  down  yesterday  afternoon,  or  early  this  morning, 
to  reconnoitre,  we  should  have  been  spared  all  this.  We 
could  have  dismounted  here  and  made  our  way  down  in 
very  open  order,  on  foot,  say  fifty  yards  apart,  and  pushed 
on  till  we  got  to  the  willows,  and  through  them  to  the  river 
bank;  or,  better  still,  we  could  have  entered  the  willows  to 
the  right  here  and  searched  them  thoroughly  right  round 
across  the  railway  and  as  far  as  the  village. 

"  As  it  turns  out,  of  course,  we  should  have  lost  three- 
quarters  of  our  number;  but  those  who  got  back  would  have 
told  of  the  hidden  rifle-pits,  and  the  fact  that  the  Boers 
were  gathered  there  in  great  force.  But  somehow,  it  was 
taken  for  granted  that  there  would  not  be  any  serious 
resistance.  Even  when  the  troops  went  forward,  there  were 
no  scouts  pushed  out  in  front  of  the  attacking  line.  We 
have  just  fallen  into  the  trap  they  set  for  us.  It  was  the 


BELMONT,  GBASPAN,  AND  THE  MODDER  131 

same  at  Belmont  and  at  Graspan.  We  only  found  out  where 
the  enemy  were  in  force  when  they  opened  a  blaze  of  fire 
at  us. 

"I  was  chatting  with  a  private  in  the  infantry,  who, 
before  he  joined  the  army,  was  a  volunteer  in  one  of  the 
London  battalions,  and  he  told  me  that  when  Lord  Methuen 
was  in  command  of  the  district  there  was  no  one  more 
particular  than  he  as  to  patrols  being  thrown  out  far  ahead 
and  the  ground  being  thoroughly  scouted.  He  was  very 
popular,  for  though  strict,  he  was  always  kind  and  consid- 
erate. As  to  his  bravery  there  is  no  question,  and  the  way  in 
which  he  is  exposing  himself  to-day,  galloping  about  from 
point  to  point  open  to  Boer  fire,  is  splendid;  but  I  fancy  his 
staff  will  be  thinned  out  before  the  end  of  the  day." 

"  Those  fellows  must  be  well  in  hand,"  another  said,  "  or 
they  would  never  have  held  their  fire  when  he  rode  up  to 
within  four  hundred  yards  of  them  yesterday.  They  could 
have  made  a  certainty  of  picking  him  and  the  two  officers 
with  him  off  at  that  distance,  and  if  only  half  a  dozen  had 
fired  it  would  have  seemed  that  there  might  still  only  be  a 
little  party  left  behind. 

"  The  beggars  seem  to  have  more  idea  of  discipline  than 
we  g'ave  them  credit  for.  They  must  have  been  sitting  as 
quiet  as  mice  until  they  opened  fire,  for,  watching  the 
bushes  closely  with  my  glass,  I  did  not  see  as  much  as  a 
leaf  stir." 

And  so  they  talked  until  they  saw  the  rush  of  the  men  of 
the  Ninth  Brigade  down  to  the  river,  and  although  they 
could  not  make  out  exactly  what  was  doing,  they  concluded 
by  the  gradual  disappearance  of  the  troops  and  the  roar 
of  musketry  that  they  must  have  succeeded  in  crossing  the 
river.  The  relief  was  intense,  and  the  men  shouted  and 
cheered  and  waved  their  hats  in  the  greatest  delight.  The 
officers  joined  in  a  lively  argument  as  to  what  was  likely  to 
take  place.  All  agreed  that  it  would  be  next  to  impossible  to 
move  troops  over  to  support  those  who  had  crossed,  for 


132  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

by  their  own  feelings  of  exhaustion,  brought  on  by  hunger, 
thirst,  heat,  and  excitement,  they  felt  sure  that  the  troops, 
who  had  gone  through  a  far  more  severe  ordeal,  would  need 
food,  drink,  and  at  least  some  hours'  rest  before  they  could 
again  take  up  the  stern  work.  At  the  same  time,  all  saw 
that  if  the  Boers  hurled  themselves  on  the  little  force  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  assistance  must  be  sent,  whatever 
the  state  of  the  men  might  be. 

"  They  have  only  to  call  for  volunteers,"  one  officer  said, 
"and  I  doubt  if  a  man  would  hold  back.  After  what  they 
have  g'one  through,  it  would  almost  galvanize  a  dead  man 
into  life  to  know  that  there  was  a  chance  at  last  to  meet 
face  to  face  the  men  who  had  been  making  a  target  of  them. 
But  I  expect  the  Boers  must  be  nearly  as  done  up  as  we  are. 
They  were  in  their  places  before  daylight,  and  although  I 
don't  suppose  our  bullets  have  disposed  of  many  of  them, 
their  nerves  must  be  so  shaken  up  by  our  artillery  fire 
that  I  can't  think  there  can  be  much  fight  left  in  them.  We 
know  that  their  fire  on  the  left  has  been  slackening  for  some 
time,  and  the  fact  that  our  fellows  have  been  able  to  fight 
their  way  across  is  another  proof  of  it.  Besides,  as  we 
saw  at  the  last  two  fights,  they  lose  heart  directly  they  see 
their  retreat  threatened,  and  they  must  know  that  they  will 
be  cut  off  altogether  from  the  place  they  have  fortified 
farther  on,  if  we  can  but  maintain  our  footing,  for  success 
on  our  left  would  put  us  between  them  and  Kimberley." 


CHAPTEK  VHI 

A  DANGEROUS  MISSION 


THE  next  morning  a  portion  of  the  troops  crossed  the 
Modder;  the  rest  moved  down  and  encamped  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river.    The  first  task  to  be  performed  was 


A  DANGEROUS  MISSION  133 

the  sad  one  of  collecting  and  burying  the  dead;  that  of 
carrying  off  the  wounded  had  begun  as  soon  as  the  slackening 
of  the  Boer  fire  permitted  the  stretcher-bearers  to  move 
about  on  the  plain,  and  many  of  the  soldiers,  as  soon  as 
they  had  quenched  their  thirst,  had,  in  spite  of  their  fatigue, 
assisted  in  the  work,  and  by  midnight  all  had  received  the 
first  aid  from  the  medical  officers.  For  these  there  was  no 
sleep,  for  all  night  they  were  engaged  in  attending  to  the 
more  serious  cases;  and  by  twelve  o'clock  next  day  the 
greater  part  of  the  wounded  were  ready  to  be  despatched  by 
train. 

As  soon  as  Yorke  had  seen  his  horse  picketed  with  those 
of  the  rest  of  the  corps,  and  had  eaten  a  few  mouthfuls  of 
preserved  meat  and  biscuit,  he  had  gone  down  with  Major 
Lindley,  the  surgeon  of  the  Guides,  and  many  of  the  men 
and  officers,  and  aided  in  carrying  in  the  wounded.  On 
arriving  with  the  first  batch  at  the  hospital  he  said  to  the 
surgeon,  who  was  busy  at  work: 

"  Can  I  be  of  any  assistance,  sir  ? " 

"Yes,  you  can  help  if  you  will.  We  are  very  short  of 
hands,  as  so  many  of  the  men  have  to  go  down  with  the 
wounded  from  Belmont  and  Graspan.  If  you  will  keep  me 
supplied  with  the  water,  sponges,  lint,  and  bandages,  you 
will  be  of  great  service." 

It  was  trying  work  to  Yorke,  unaccustomed  as  he  was  to 
such  scenes,  and  several  times  he  felt  that  he  must  go  out  for 
a  few  minutes  to  breathe  the  fresh  air;  but  he  stuck  to  it, 
and  felt  well  rewarded  when,  in  the  morning,  the  surgeon 
he  had  been  attending  said  heartily,  "I  thank  you  warmly, 
sir;  you  have  saved  me  a  great  deal  of  time,  and  have  been 
of  much  assistance  to  me.  I  am  surprised  that  you  have 
been  able  to  go  through  with  it,  for  even  to  us,  accustomed 
to  hospital  work,  it  has  been  very  exhausting1." 

On  leaving  the  hospital  marquee  he  went  away  to  a  quiet 
spot,  dropped  on  the  ground,  and  slept  for  some  hours. 
Then  he  went  to  the  camp  of  the  Guides.  Most  of  these 


134  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

were  already  away  scouting,  and  having  no  duties  fo  perform, 
he  walked  down  to  the  river  and  crossed  by  the  dam  by  which 
the  men  of  the  Ninth  Brigade  had  effected  their  passage 
on  the  previous  afternoon.  The  men  not  engaged  in  the 
duty  of  burying  the  dead,  or  of  preparing  for  the  all-im- 
portant work  of  throwing  a  pontoon  bridge  across  the  river 
by  which  the  guns  and  waggons  could  pass,  were  cleaning 
their  accoutrements,  cooking,  or  bathing  in  the  river,  while 
many  of  the  Argyle  and  Sutherland  Highlanders  were 
seated  at  the  edge  of  the  stream  dipping  their  legs  in  the 
water. 

They  had  suffered  more  severely  than  the  other  regiments 
of  the  brigade,  and  the  advantage  of  trousers  over  kilts 
had  been  abundantly  proved  on  the  preceding  day.  From 
the  fact  that  their  dark  kilts  had  shown  them  up,  while  their 
companions  in  khaki  were  almost  invisible,  their  casualties 
were  heavier  than  those  of  other  regiments,  and  their  legs 
had  been  so  blistered  by  the  sun's  rays  that  many  were 
almost  unable  to  walk.  On  passing  through  the  street  of 
the  village  Yorke  met  the  head  of  the  Intelligence  Depart- 
ment. The  latter  stopped. 

"Ah!  Mr.  Harberton,"  he  said,  "your  Kaffirs  failed  U3 
when  most  wanted.  Had  one  of  them  brought  us  news 
that  the  whole  Boer  strength  was  here  it  would  have  saved 
us  a  number  of  valuable  lives." 

"  I  am  sorry  indeed,  sir,"  Yorke  replied ;  "  but  you  know 
the  one  who  came  in  before  the  battle  did  bring  news  that 
no  Kaffir  teamsters  or  others  were  allowed  to  go  near  the 
Modder  village,  but  had  to  make  a  detour  on  their  way  to 
Spytfontein." 

"  Yes,  I  know  he  did,  and  it  is  a  pity  now  that  we  did  not 
take  his  news  more  seriously.  But  it  is  always  difficult  to 
rely  upon  Kaffir  evidence;  the  man  might  never  have  g'one 
that  way  at  all,  and  might  have  got  up  his  story  as  an  excuse 
for  not  bringing  in  news.  And  when  Lord  Methuen  rode 
down  himself  close  to  the  river  he  saw  no  signs  of  life  in  the 


A  DANGEROUS  MISSION  135 

place.  Now  as  to  yourself.  I  understood  from  Colonel 
Pinkerton  that  you  had  specially  joined  with  the  intention  of 
scouting  and  carrying  despatches." 

"  I  did  sir.  I  have  a  very  good  horse,  and  can  ride.  I  am 
a  light-weight.  I  speak  Dutch  well  enough  to  pass,  and 
can  get  on  in  the  Kaffir  tongue.  I  should  be  happy  to  under- 
take any  duty  with  which  you  might  entrust  me." 

"We  want  a  message  carried  into  Kimberley.  There 
will  probably  be  a  delay  of  a  fortnight  before  we  can  receive 
reinforcements  that  will  enable  us  to  attack  the  enemy  with 
any  hope  of  success  in  the  strong  position  they  are  said  to 
occupy.  Will  you  undertake  to  attempt  to  get  round?" 

"  I  shall  consider  it  an  honour  to  do  so,  sir.  Should  I  go 
in  uniform  or  as  a  Dutch  farmer  ? " 

"  I  think  in  uniform ;  you  would  have  more  risk  of  being 
taken,  but  if  captured,  you  would  have  a  right  to  be  treated 
as  a  prisoner  of  war;  while  if  you  go  in  disguise,  they 
would,  I  have  no  doubt,  shoot  you  as  a  spy.  It  is  not  as  if 
you  wished  to  gather  news;  it  is  a  question  entirely  of  speed 
and  of  evading  observation.  Very  well,  Mr.  Harberton. 
Where  is  your  horse  ? " 

"  It  is  over  at  Major  Eimington's  camp,  sir." 

"  Well,  I  will  send  a  mounted  orderly  for  it.  In  the  mean- 
time you  can  examine  our  map.  It  is  by  no  means  perfect, 
but  at  least  it  will  afford  you  some  indications,  especially 
when  you  approach  Kimberley.  A  runner  brought  us  three 
days  since  a  sketch  map  showing  the  position  of  the  Boers 
round  the  town,  and  this,  when  you  get  there,  will  certainly 
be  of  value  to  you.  One  of  the  sergeants  will  make  a  tracing 
for  you.  You  shall  see  the  despatch  you  are  to  carry,  and 
had  better  get  it  by  heart,  so  that  if  you  are  pursued,  and 
find  yourself  likely  to  be  taken,  you  can  destroy  it,  for  you 
would  doubtless  be  searched  so  thoroughly,  that  however 
well  you  might  conceal  it,  they  would  be  likely  to  discover  it. 
Now,  let  us  look  at  the  map ;  "  and,  entering  the  house  where 
he  had  established  his  office,  he  passed  through  the  room  in 


136  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

which  the  non-commissioned  officers  were  at  work,  and 
entered  the  one  behind  it. 

"  Here  is  the  map,"  he  said.  "  You  see  the  Boer  positiona 
round  Kimberley  are  much  closer  together  than  those  on 
this  side,  for,  until  we  crossed  the  Modder,  it  would  be 
naturally  considered  that  it  was  from  that  side  relief  was 
expected,  or  that  messengers  might  come  and  go.  But  on 
this  side  there  are  also  a  great  many  of  them;  they  are 
thick  round  Wimbledon,  and  thicker  still  between  Scholtz 
Kop  and  Spytfontein.  But  these  would,  of  course,  be  in- 
tended rather  for  resistance  against  a  force  advancing  this 
way  than  for  offence  against  the  town.  There  are  two 
here,  however,  standing  to  the  right  of  the  road  between 
this  place  and  the  town.  There  may  be  some  patrols  thrown 
out  on  the  road;  it  is  probable  that  there  are  some,  and  here 
is  the  principal  danger.  Between  that  road  and  the  rail- 
way and  the  town  of  Wimbledon  there  are  no  entrench- 
ments marked.  Of  course  they  may  exist,  but  the  Kim- 
berley  people  are  only  able  to  send  us  the  posts  which 
they  can  make  out  with  their  glasses,  or  by  their  fire. 
'As  you  see,  the  ground  is  very  rough  and  broken,  and 
would  probably  be  very  difficult  to  ride  across  in  the  dark 
if  you  were  to  leave  the  road.  I  may  say  that  a  small 
party  of  cavalry  have  been  out  this  morning  seven  or  eight 
miles  along  the  road,  and  encountered  no  opposition,  but 
were  fired  at  several  times  by  parties  on  the  hills.  But  it 
is  certainly  likely  enough  that  they  come  down  on  to  the 
road  after  dark.  I  will  send  a  dozen  troopers  as  an  escort 
with  you  for  the  first  four  or  five  miles." 

"  I  should  say,  sir,  that  it  would  be  best  for  me  only  to  ride 
for  a  few  miles,  then  to  dismount  and  make  my  way  on  foot. 
If  you  will  allow  me,  I  will  send  a  note  by  the  orderly  who 
fetches  my  horse  to  two  of  my  Kaffirs  bidding  them  accom- 
pany it  here — one  of  them  especially  is  a  very  shrewd  fellow 
— their  eyes  and  ears  are  much  better  than  mine.  I  should 
gend  one  of  them  back  with  my  horse,  and  take  the  other 


A  DANGEROUS  MISSION  137 

with  me.  I  have  a  compass,  but  it  would  be  of  no  use  in 
the  dark;  and  I  might  lose  my  bearings  altogether  if  by  my- 
self, for  I  could  not  venture  to  strike  a  match." 

"It  would  be  a  very  good  plan,  Mr.  Harberton.  Please 
write  your  note  at  once,  I  have  already  sent  for  a  mounted 
orderly." 

Yorke  at  once  wrote  a  note  to  Major  Rimington,  or  the 
officer  commanding  in  his  absence,  begging  him  to  send  the 
two  Kaffirs,  Ugly  Jack  and  Long  Peter,  with  the  orderly,  who 
would  bring  back  his  horse.  While  the  orderly  was  away 
he  studied  the  map,  and  when  the  officer  returned  from 
headquarters  with  the  despatch,  which  was  written  in  small 
characters  on  a  strip  of  thin  paper,  he  learned  it  by  heart.  It 
stated  that  the  army  had,  after  its  engagement,  crossed  the 
Modder,  but  that  it  could  not  advance  until  joined  by  rein- 
forcements now  on  their  way.  It  asked  for  any  intelligence 
that  might  be  gathered  by  the  besieged  as  to  the  Boers' 
position  and  force,  and  enquired  as  to  the  state  of  provisions 
in  the  town,  and  how  long,  in  case  the  army  failed  to  arrive, 
they  could  maintain  themselves.  It  stated  that  large  rein- 
forcements were  on  their  way  out,  and  that  Buller  had,  so 
far,  failed  to  relieve  Ladysmith,  but  hoped  that  he  would 
soon  do  so,  and  that  the  Boers  were  making  but  little  way  in 
the  invasion  of  Cape  Colony.  It  added :  "  The  bearer  will 
give  you  further  details  as  to  the  state  of  affairs."  It  was 
directed  to  Colonel  Kekewich. 

After  the  business  was  concluded,  Yorke  was  invited  to 
join  the  staff  at  lunch,  which  he  was  not  sorry  to  do.  When 
this  was  finished,  he  was  asked  to  dine  with  them  also,  as  he 
would  not  be  able  to  start  till  after  dark. 

Many  of  the  Boer  rifles  had  been  picked  up,  and  great 
quantities  of  ammunition,  which  had  been  left  in  the 
trenches,  collected.  The  arms  were  to  be  destroyed,  and 
Yorke,  at  luncheon,  asked  the  officer  to  give  him  an  order 
for  the  Kaffir  who  was  going  with  him  to  take  one  of  them. 
"It  is  quite  certain,"  he  said,  "that  if  we  are  caught,  they 


138  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

will  shoot  the  native,  whether  he  is  armed  or  not,  and  I 
think  the  man  ought  to  have  a  chance  of  at  least  trying  to 
defend  his  life." 

"  I  will  give  you  an  order  for  him  to  take  one,  but  it 
had  better  be  put  in  my  office  till  you  start,  or  he  would 
have  trouble  with  every  officer  he  met.  I  think  that,  as  you 
say,  it  is  only  fair  to  give  the  man  a  chance,  though  I  don't 
suppose  it  will  be  of  much  use  to  him,  for  he  is  not  likely  to 
be  a  good  shot  even  with  an  ordinary  rifle,  and  he  would 
know  nothing  of  the  working  of  a  Mauser." 

"  I  could  show  him  how  to  work  it  in  five  minutes,"  Yorke 
said ;  "  and  if  he  cannot  shoot  himself,  he  could  load  as  fast 
as  I  could  fire." 

The  officer  smiled.  "  I  fancy  if  you  get  cut  off,  Mr. 
Harberton,  your  best  plan  would  be  to  tie  a  handkerchief 
to  your  rifle  in  token  of  surrender.  Possibly  they  might  then 
content  themselves  with  taking  you  as  a  prisoner  of  war, 
while  if  you  were  to  shoot  some  of  them,  the  others  would 
not  be  very  likely  to  respect  your  uniform." 

"I  don't  want  to  fight,  certainly,"  Yorke  said;  "and  I 
should  not  think  of  resisting  unless  I  saw  a  chance  of  doing 
so  successfully,  as,  for  instance,  if  I  were  seen  and  chased  by 
two  or  three  mounted  Boers  when  I  was  getting  near  our 
own  lines." 

"  Yes,  in  that  case  the  rifle  might  be  useful.  The  Boers 
have  considerable  respect  for  a  single  man  with  a  good  rifle 
in  the  open.  However,  I  hope  you  will  get  through  unob- 
served. You  certainly  will  have  more  chance  to-night  than 
you  would  otherwise  have,  for  they  will  be  even  more  tired 
than  our  men,  as  they  probably  marched  all  night  to  Spytf  on- 
tein.  Moreover,  they  have  their  wounded  to  attend  to,  and 
will,  no  doubt,  be  very  much  down  in  the  mouth  at  being 
turned  out  here,  where  they  felt  absolutely  certain  of  hold- 
ing their  own.  Still,  Cronje  could  not  have  had  anything 
like  all  his  force  here,  and  some  of  the  men  who  stopped  in 


A  DANGEROUS  MISSION  139 

their  lines  will  be  sent  out  to  watch  the  roads  to-night,  lest 
we  should  push  forward  a  brigade  to  relieve  Kimberley. 

On  going  out,  Yorke  found  that  the  Kaffirs  had  arrived 
with  his  horse. 

"  Peter,"  he  said  in  Dutch,  "  I  am  going  to  try  to  get 
into  Kimberley.  I  want  you  to  go  with  me.  I  have  chosen 
you  for  two  reasons;  in  the  first  place,  because  I  know  that 
you  are  a  g'ood  man;  and  in  the  second,  because  you  are  the 
only  one  of  the  party  who  has  been  in  the  town,  for  you 
told  me  that  you  had  worked  there  for  two  years.  Are  you 
willing  to  go  ?  It  is  a  very  dangerous  business,  for  if  we  are 
caught,  the  Boers  are  not  likely  to  show  us  any  mercy." 

"  I  will  go,  baas,"  the  man  said,  speaking  as  usual  in 
Dutch.  "If  you  can  go  I  can;  if  you  are  killed  I  will  be 
killed." 

"Your  danger  is  greater  than  mine,  Peter.  I  shall  be  in 
uniform;  and  they  may  take  me  prisoner,  but  they  would  be 
certain  to  shoot  you." 

The  Kaffir  nodded.  "  Shoot  me,  sure  enough,  baas ;  but 
I  will  go  with  you.  You  will  go  in  the  dark,  I  suppose? 
How  could  you  find  your  way  if  you  were  alone  ?  You  could 
not  keep  on  the  road.  The  Boers  are  sure  to  keep  watch 
there." 

"  I  feel  that,  Peter.  If  it  were  not  for  that  I  would  not 
risk  anyone  else's  life.  I  mean  to  ride  the  first  part  of  the 
way.  Jack,  you  will  go  with  us  so  far  and  bring  my  horse 
back,  and  take  it  to  Major  Rimington's  lines.  I  shall  give 
you  a  letter  to  Hans  to  tell  him  to  look  after  you  all  till  I 
come  back." 

"  Cannot  I  go  with  you  too,  baas  ? "  the  man  asked. 

"  No,  that  would  be  of  no  use,  Jack.  The  more  there  are 
of  us,  the  more  chance  there  is  of  being  seen.  Now,  here  is 
an  order  on  the  supply-stores  for  two  days'  rations.  Draw 
them  at  once.  Go  back  to  camp  and  fetch  the  spare  water- 
bottles  we  got  at  De  Aar,  bring  four  of  them,  two  for  each 


140  /WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

of  us.  We  may  not  be  able  to  get  through  to-night,  and 
may  have  to  lie  up  at  some  hiding-place  till  it  is  dark  again. 
I  will  get  hold  of  some  biscuits  and  a  tin  of  meat." 

Having  now  finished  his  arrangements  Yorke  went  down 
and  made  an  inspection  of  the  deserted  trenches  of  the 
Boers.  These  were  generally  some  four  feet  deep,  and,  like 
those  at  Graspan,  had  evidently  been  tenanted  for  some 
days.  They  were  for  the  most  part  some  seven  feet  long 
and  four  feet  wide.  They  had  been  untouched  since  their 
occupiers  had  fled,  for  there  was  nothing  in  them  to  tempt 
the  soldiers  to  search  them.  He  had  no  difficulty  in  finding 
a  couple  of  tins  of  meat  and  as  much  bread  as  he  required. 
All  were  littered  with  empty  cartridge  cases,  showing  how 
large  was  the  provision  that  had  been  made,  and  how  steadily 
the  Boers  had  for  hours  maintained  their  fire.  There  were, 
too,  piles  of  still  unused  cartridges.  His  own  bandolier  was 
full,  but  he  put  as  many  as  he  could  carry  into  his  pocket. 

In  the  afternoon  he  went  to  the  office  where  he  had  placed 
the  Mauser  rifle,  when  it  had,  by  the  officer's  orders,  been 
handed  to  him,  put  his  own  rifle  in  its  place,  and  slinging  the 
Mauser  on  his  shoulder,  went  out  ag'ain.  Presently  he  found 
the  two  Kaffirs  squatted  near  his  horse,  which  they  were 
feeding  with  bread  they  had  picked  up.  Calling  Peter  to 
follow  him  he  went  into  a  quiet  spot  among  the  trees. 

"  You  are  going  to  carry  a  rifle,  Peter,"  he  said,  "  the  one 
that  I  have  got  on  my  shoulder.  Can  you  shoot  ? " 

"  I  can  shoot  with  a  common  gun,  baas,  but  I  don't  know 
that  thing;  it  doesn't  seem  to  have  any  hammer." 

"No,  it  is  a  Mauser.  That  is  the  gun  the  Boers  use.  I 
will  show  you  how  it  works,  for  if  we  should  get  into 
trouble,  and  there  are  only  a  few  Boers,  we  might  fight. 
You  see  this  slip,  holding  five  cartridges.  The  breech  opens 
like  this ;  you  push  the  five  cartridges  into  the  magazine,  close 
it  with  this  bolt,  and  the  gun  is  ready  for  firing  five 
without  removing  it  from  the  shoulder.  When  the  last 
ia  fired,  you  reload  as  before.  You  see  how  I  do  it.  Now, 


A  DANGEROUS  MISSION  141 

me  see  you  try;  but  don't  pull  the  trigger.  If  you  were  to 
fire,  we  should  alarm  the  camp." 

After  a  dozen  attempts,  the  Kaffir  learnt  the  knack  of 
loading  and  firing  the  gun. 

"  I  have  plenty  of  cartridges  here.  You  had  better  go 
and  look  in  the  Boer  trenches,  and  you  will  find  scores  of 
bandoliers  lying  about.  Pick  two  out,  one  for  yourself  and 
one  for  me,  and  fill  them  with  cartridges.  When  we  start  I 
will  divide  those  I  have  with  you.  That  will  amount  to 
something  like  two  hundred  shots  apiece.  I  am  going  to 
leave  my  rifle  here  and  take  another  Mauser,  as  these  cart- 
ridges won't  fit  my  gun.  Here  are  two  tins  of  meat  and 
enough  bread  to  last  us  for  a  day,  in  case  we  cannot  get 
straight  through  and  have  to  hide  up.  Get  hold  of  a  piece  of 
stuff  to  tie  them  all  up  in  a  bundle,  which  you  can  sling 
on  your  rifle.  Fill  these  four  water-bottles  with  the  best 
water  you  can  find.  Don't  take  it  out  of  the  river,  it  is 
likely  enough  that  there  are  a  good  many  dead  Boers  in  it. 
Now,  there  is  nothing  more  for  you  to  do  before  we  start. 
You  had  better  watch  the  horse  by  turns.  Take  it  down  to 
the  river  and  give  it  a  good  drink  an  hour  before  sunset. 

"You  will  find  plenty  of  blankets  in  the  Boer  trenches. 
Take  a  couple  of  these  and  cut  them  up  into  strips,  and 
before  it  gets  dark  fasten  these  thickly  to  the  horse's  hoofs, 
so  that  they  will  make  no  noise  on  the  road.  Fasten  a  roll  of 
it  on  to  my  saddle;  I  shall  twist  it  round  my  boots  when 
I  dismount,  then  I  shall  be  less  likely  to  slip  in  climbing 
over  the  rocks.  And  now  I  have  one  more  word  to  say  to 
you.  If  we  should  be  surprised  by  the  Boers,  and  I  find  that 
I  must  be  taken,  you  are  to  escape  if  possible.  Your  death 
could  be  of  no  benefit  to  me,  and  if  you  were  killed  I  should 
not  forgive  myself  for  having  brought  you  with  me.  Now, 
you  quite  understand  that  this  is  an  absolute  order.  But  at 
the  same  time,  when  you  have  escaped  you  may  be  of  im- 
mense service,  you  are  to  remember  that.  Of  course,  if  I 
am  kept  a  prisoner  at  Spytfontein  you  would  find  it  alto- 


142  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

gether  impossible  to  get  near  me;  but  if  I  am  sent  to 
Pretoria,  you  might  follow  at  some  distance,  and  possibly  aid 
me  to  make  my  escape.  So  you  see  it  would  be  to  my 
interest,  as  well  as  your  own,  that  you  should  get  clear 
away." 

The  Kaffir,  who  had  looked  sullen  at  the  first  part  of  the 
instructions,  brightened  up.  "I  understand,  baas.  As  long 
as  baas  fights,  Peter  will  fight ;  when  baas  says  '  Go,'  Peter 
will  run  off,  and  do  what  he  can  to  help  afterwards." 

Yorke  now  returned  to  the  office,  and  asked  one  of  the 
sergeants  there  to  look  after  his  own  rifle  till  he  returned, 
and  then  went  to  the  heap  of  Boer  weapons  and  picked  out 
a  Mauser.  All  being  now  ready,  he  lay  down  and  slept  until 
sunset,  and  then  went  in  to  dinner.  After  the  meal  was 
over,  the  colonel  took  him  in  to  the  general's  quarters,  and 
said,  "  This  is  Mr.  Harberton,  sir ;  he  is  going  to  start  in 
an  hour  or  so  with  your  despatch  for  Kimberley." 

"  Do  you  know  the  country,  Mr.  Harberton  ? "  the  general 
asked. 

"  No,  sir,  but  I  am  taking  with  me  one  of  the  Kaffirs  who 
has  been  there  for  two  years.  He  worked  at  Dutoitspan, 
which  is,  he  says  on  this  side  of  the  town,  and  not  far  from 
Beaconsfield,  so  that  he  knows  the  country  all  round  per- 
fectly; and  I  have  every  confidence  that  he  will  be  able  to 
guide  me  in,  especially  as  the  ground  for  the  last  few 
miles  is  flat.  Of  course  I  shall  leave  the  road  when  I  have 
gone  a  few  miles,  and  make  my  way  across  the  hills." 

"It  will  be  a  hazardous  journey,  Mr.  Harberton,  and  I 
admire  your  spirit  in  undertaking  such  a  mission.  I  under- 
stand that  you  speak  Taal  well,  but  as  you  are  going  in 
uniform  that  will  be  no  great  advantage  to  you.  If  you 
succeed,  I  need  not  say  that  you  will  have  rendered  us  a  very 
great  service,  which  will  not  be  forgotten." 

"  It  is  just  the  service  that  I  had  hoped  I  should  find  an 
opportunity  of  performing,  sir,  when  I  volunteered  to  under- 


A  DANGEBOUS  MISSION  143 

take  the  work  of  scouting  and  obtaining  information,  in- 
stead of  enlisting"  in  one  of  the  regiments  at  Cape  Town." 

"Yes,  I  hear  you  rendered  valuable  service  to  the  officer 
in  command  at  De  Aar  by  going  in  disguise  to  Fauresmith, 
and  discovering  that  the  Boers  had  no  intention  of  attacking 
our  base,  for  it  was  thus  unnecessary  to  draw  bodies  of  men 
from  other  points  to  aid  in  the  defence  of  the  place.  I 
should  not  advise  you  to  endeavour  to  return  by  the  road  by 
which  you  came,  although  you  will  be  the  best  judge  as  to 
that;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  it  would  be  easier  to  get  out 
by  the  other  side  and  make  a  detour  across  the  river  some- 
where near  Douglas,  and  then  make  for  Honeynest  Kloof, 
and  so  here.  Above  all,  tell  Colonel  Kekewich  privately 
that  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  we  shall  be  able  to  force 
our  way  past  Spytfontein.  Lord  Methuen  will  try  to  do  so, 
but  after  what  we  have  seen  of  the  Boer  style  of  fighting 
here  there  is  no  assurance  that  he  will  succeed,  for  the 
position  by  all  accounts  is  a  very  strong  one. 

"Of  course  it  will  be  impossible  for  you  now  to  travel 
far  by  the  road  from  here;  the  Boer  position  extends  across 
it.  Your  best  chance  is  to  strike  across  the  country  and 
come  on  the  road  from  Jacobsdal.  Whether  they  are  posted 
on  that  line  or  not  I  cannot  say.  It  certainly  lies  beyond 
their  main  position,  but  they  will  hardly  have  neglected  it 
altogether." 

"  Yes,  sir,  that  is  the  route  I  propose  taking." 

"  Well,  I  wish  you  good  fortune  and  a  safe  return ; "  and 
he  shook  hands  with  Yorke. 

At  eight  o'clock  Yorke  started.  The  horse's  hoofs  had  been 
effectually  muffled  and  he  had  been  provided  with  the  coun- 
tersign, and,  passing"  through  the  pickets,  he  rode  off,  the 
Kaffirs  trotting  by  his  side.  He  had  told  the  officer  in  com- 
mand of  the  pickets  that  one  of  them  would  return  with  the 
horse  in  the  course  of  an  hour.  After  proceeding  about  four 
miles  a  glow  of  light  could  be  seen  here  and  there  on  Scholtz 


144  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Kop,  a  short  distance  to  the  left  of  the  road  they  were  fol- 
lowing, and  also  away  farther  over  on  the  same  side  on  the 
hill  of  Spytfontein.  These  were  but  the  reflection  of  the 
fires  in  the  trenches  where  the  Boers  were  cooking  their 
suppers  .and  smoking  their  pipes.  No  flame  betrayed  the 
positions  held  by  them,  but  the  hills  seemed  lit  up  by  a 
faint  glow. 

"  It  is  time  to  turn  off,  Peter,"  Yorke  said,  reining  in  his 
horse.  "  They  may  have  outposts  on  the  road,  and  as  they 
would  be  keeping  quiet,  we  might  get  in  among  them  before 
we  noticed  them." 

Although  they  were  still  nearly  two  miles  from  the  Boer 
position  they  could  distinctly  hear  in  the  stillness  of  the 
night  a  faint  continuous  murmur,  such  as  might  be  made  by 
a  waterfall  or  a  stream  running  among  rocks.  This  they 
knew  to  be  the  talk  of  thousands  of  the  enemy.  They 
had  been  conscious  of  it  even  before  they  reached  the  turn 
in  the  road  whence  they  saw  the  lights,  for  their  own 
advance  had  been  almost  noiseless.  The  Kaffirs  were  run- 
ning barefoot,  and  the  horse's  hoofs  had  been  so  well  muffled 
that  its  footstep  was  no  more  audible  than  those  of  the 
natives. 

It  was  now  time  to  dismount  and  send  the  horse  back, 
and  Yorke  handed  the  animal  over  to  the  native  who  was  to 
return  to  camp. 

"  When  you  get  half-way  back,  Jack,"  Yorke  said,  "  take 
off  those  blankets  from  the  horse's  feet,  so  that  our  sentries 
can  hear  your  approach.  If  you  were  to  come  up  quite 
silently,  and  fhey  did  not  hear  you  till  you  were  close  to 
them,  they  might  fire  hastily.  Therefore,  lead  the  horse,  and 
when  you  get  near  the  lines  strike  up  a  song — not  too  loud, 
but  so  that  they  can  hear  you  a  hundred  yards  away.  When 
they  challenge,  that  is  to  say,  when  they  call,  'Who  comes 
there  ? '  you  answer  as  I  told  you,  then  they  will  let  you  pass, 
though  they  may  keep  you  until  their  officer  comes.  As  I 
spoke  to  him  on  the  way  out,  he  will  pass  you  through. 


A  DANGEBOUS  MISSION  145 

Don't  go  right  into  the  lines  near  the  Modder;  half  a  mile 
outside  lead  the  horse  off  the  road  and  wait  with  him  till  it 
is  daylight.  You  would  be  challenged  by  every  sentry  in 
camp  if  you  were  to  enter  in  the  dark." 

"  Good  fortune  to  you,  baas !  I  wish  I  were  going  with 
you,"  Jack  said,  and  then  led  the  horse  away. 

"Now,  Peter,"  continued  Yorke,  "our  work  begins.  The 
first  thing  is  to  put  the  strips  of  blankets  round  our  feet. 
You  had  better  put  on  your  own  shoes  and  muffle  them, 
otherwise  you  might  lame  yourself  among  the  rocks,  and 
that  would  be  fatal  to  us  both." 

The  native  did  as  he  was  told,  then  he  said,  "Let  us 
stop  a  little,  baas,  and  listen.  There  may  be  Boers  on  that 
hill  we  have  to  cross." 

He  stood  for  a  minute  or  two  listening  intently.  "  There 
are  men  up  there,"  he  said. 

"  Did  you  hear  voices  ? " 

"  No,  but  I  heard  a  click  as  if  a  kettle  had  hit  against  a 
stone.  I  am  certain  that  there  are  some  of  them  up  there — 
not  many,  perhaps,  but  certainly  there  are  men  there.  We 
had  better  go  back  a  little  between  that  hill  and  the  next. 
I  will  walk  first,  you  follow  quite  close  to  me;  I  can  see  in 
the  dark  much  better  than  you  can.  If  there  are  rocks  in 
the  way  I  will  stop,  then  you  put  your  hand  on  my  shoulder 
and  I  will  lead  you  between  them  or  show  you  where  to 
climb  across  them." 

"  All  right,  Peter !  I  trust  in  you  entirely,  for  I  could  not 
see  a  stone  the  size  of  my  head  on  the  ground." 

It  took  them  four  hours  of  severe  work  before  they  came 
down  on  the  Jacobsdal  road.  The  ground  had  in  many 
places  been  covered  with  rocks  and  boulders,  through  which 
it  would  have  been  hard  work  to  pick  a  way  in  the  daylight, 
and  quite  impossible  in  the  darkness  for  Yorke,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  guidance  and  assistance  of  Peter.  Sometimes 
they  had  to  climb  rough  and  precipitous  hills,  and  more 
difficult  still,  to  descend  the  boulder-strewn  slopes.  In  spite 
(M839)  K 


146  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

of  tfie  care  of  his  guide  Yorke  had  had  several  heavy  falls, 
had  cut  his  hands  and  knees,  and  seriously  damaged  his 
garments. 

"Now,  shall  we  follow  the  road,  baas?" 

"No,  we  had  better  not.  There  may  he  parties  moving 
between  Jacobsdal  and  the  Boer  lines  round  Kimberley, 
or  reinforcements  coming  down  to  Jacobsdal  from  the 
north." 

"  They  would  not  travel  at  night,"  Peter  said  positively. 
"  Boers  can  ride  all  day,  but  nothing  would  make  them  go 
out  at  night  if  they  could  help  it.  Boers  sleep  like  a  pig.'' 

"  Well,  we  will  keep  to  the  road  for  a  bit  then.  I  should 
like  to  push  on  as  fast  as  we  can,  for  we  have  some  sixteen 
miles  to  go  yet  and  we  have  lost  a  lot  of  time  in  getting 
across  here,  and  if  we  were  to  take  to  the  rocks  again  there 
would  be  very  little  chance  of  our  getting  through  the  Boer 
lines  before  daylight." 

They  had  gone  about  a  mile  when  the  native  stopped. 
"Men  on  the  road,  baas." 

"  Are  you  sure  ? " 

"Quite  sure,  baas.     I  heard  one  strike  a  match." 

Walking  very  carefully,  they  could  presently  make  out  a 
dark  mass  ahead  of  them.  "Waggons,  baas,"  Peter 
whispered,  and  they  at  once  left  the  road,  moved  a  couple 
of  hundred  yards  to  the  right,  and  then,  stepping  with  the 
greatest  care,  continued  their  way  parallel  with  the  road. 
They  could  hear  the  sound  of  voices  as  two  or  three  Boers 
talked  together,  and  occasionally  a  movement  among  the 
oxen.  They  could  not  make  out  the  outline  of  the  waggons, 
nor  see  in  which  direction  they  had  been  moving,  but 
guessed  that  it  was  a  party  of  Boers  from  the  north,  moving 
down  to  strengthen  Jacobsdal,  or  it  might  be  a  convoy  of 
stores  from  that  town  for  the  use  of  the  force  beleaguering 
Kimberley.  For  the  next  hour  their  progress  was  very 
slow,  for  they  had  to  make  their  way  through  thick  bush, 


A  DANGEROUS  MISSION  147 

and  it  needed  the  greatest  caution  to  avoid  being  heard  by 
the  party  on  the  road. 

It  was  not  that  they  feared  being  hit  by  their  fire,  but 
the  sound  of  rifle  shots  would  put  all  the  Boers  within  sound 
of  them  on  the  watch,  and  greatly  diminish  their  chance  of 
getting  through.  As  soon  as  they  were  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
beyond  the  waggons  they  came  down  nearer  to  the  road 
again.  Here  there  were  no  bushes,  but  the  ground  was 
thickly  covered  with  boulders  of  all  sizes.  At  times  the  hills 
approached  so  close  to  the  road  that  they  were  obliged  to 
take  to  it  for  a  while.  Whenever  this  was  the  case  they 
went  at  a  trot,  but  as  they  were  now  abreast  of  the  line  of 
the  Boer  forts,  they  took  to  the  rocks  again  as  soon  as 
possible.  Twice  they  heard  parties  of  horsemen  coming 
along  the  road,  and  hid  up  until  these  had  passed. 

"  They  do  not  mean  to  be  caught  napping,  Peter,"  Yorke 
said.  "  They  are  evidently  uneasy.  I  have  no  doubt  they 
are  well  prepared  along  the  Spytfontein  line,  but  they  can- 
not be  sure  that  we  shall  try  to  break  through  that  way, 
and  may  believe  that  we  shall  attack  Jacobsdal,  and,  making 
a  wide  circuit,  enter  Kimberley  from  the  north.  In  some 
respects  that  might  be  the  better  plan,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
the  general  has  well  considered  it;  but  although  he  might 
get  into  Kimberley  that  way  without  any  fighting,  he  would 
be  worse  off  when  he  got  there  than  he  is  on  the  Modder. 
He  has  not  sufficient  stores  collected  yet  to  provision  Kim- 
berley for  any  length  of  time,  and  the  fighting  the  other 
day  showed  that  he  has  not  enough  men  to  defeat  the  whole 
Boer  force  stationed  among  the  kopjes,  so  that  he  would  be 
completely  cut  off,  with  the  enemy  between  him  and  any 
force  coming  up  to  his  assistance." 

Steadily  they  plodded  on,  keeping  for  the  most  part  along 
the  road,  and  stopping  frequently  to  listen.  Several  times 
Peter  declared  that  there  were  Boers  among  the  hills  on 
either  side  of  them,  and  once  or  twice  even  Yorke  could 


148  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PRETOBIA 

faintly  hear  what  he  judged  to  be  snoring1  in  the  stillness 
of  the  night  air.  At  length  even  the  keen  ears  of  the 
native  were  unable  to  detect  any  warning  sound,  and  he 
declared  that  they  must  now  have  passed  the  outside  line. 

"We  have  done  with  them  now  Peter,  till  we  get  near 
those  round  the  town." 

They  went  fast  now,  for  the  night  was  nearly  over,  and 
the  sky  was  beginning  to  lighten  in  the  east  when,  leaving 
the  road,  they  ascended  the  hill  and  saw  a  level  plain 
stretching  before  them. 

"  It  is  too  late  to  get  through,"  Yorke  said,  "  another 
quarter  of  an  hour  and  it  will  be  light,  and  that  dark  mass 
of  houses  we  see  there  must  be  nearly  three  miles  away." 

"Yes,  baas,  that  is  Beaconsfield ;  Kimberley  is  more  away 
to  the  left,  I  can  just  make  it  out.  What  will  you  do  now, 
baas?  Go  back  a  bit  and  hide,  or  go  on  to  that  little  house 
half  a  mile  away  close  to  the  road  ? " 

"I  think  we  had  best  go  on.  We  should  have  to  go  a 
good  bit  back  to  a  place  where  the  boulders  are  thick  enough 
to  give  us  a  good  hiding-place;  it  will  certainly  be  light 
before  we  get  there,  indeed  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  light 
enough  before  we  can  gain  that  hut,  if  there  are  any  Boers 
on  the  look-out  on  that  kopje  to  the  right." 

They  started  at  once,  and  had  gone  but  half-way  when 
they  found  that  the  distance  had  been  deceiving,  and  that 
it  was  nearer  a  mile  than  half  a  mile  to  the  hut,  which, 
being  white-washed,  had  seemed  much  nearer  than  it  was. 
The  light  was  broadening  out  rapidly  and  they  ran  at  the 
top  of  their  speed,  but  just  before  they  reached  the  place  a 
shot  rang  out  from  a  low  hill  some  four  hundred  yards  away. 
For  a  moment  Yorke  hesitated,  but  he  knew  that  where 
there  were  Boers  there  were  ponies,  and  that  they  would  be 
overtaken  long  before  they  could  reach  the  British  camp. 

"  We  had  better  fight  it  out  here,  Peter.  The  firing"  may 
bring  up  help;  we  can  certainly  keep  the  Boers  off  for  some 
time." 


RACE    FOK    LIKE. 


A  DANGEROUS  MISSION  149 

The  hut  was  some  twelve  feet  square,  a  rough  building  of 
loose  stone  with  a  light  roof.  It  apparently  had  been  made 
for  the  occupation  of  men  working  on  the  road.  It  had  no 
windows,  and  the  door  stood  open. 

"  Now,  Peter,  get  to  work  and  get  a  stone  or  two  out  on 
that  side  so  that  we  can  fire  on  the  enemy;  the  hole  must 
be  as  small  as  possible.  If  we  can  make  one  or  two  on  each 
side  so  much  the  better.  I  will  bring  some  stones  from 
outside  to  block  the  door  up,  then  I  will  help  you." 

He  rolled  in  blocks,  closed  the  door,  and  placed  them 
against  it.  Then  he  set  to  work  to  make  loopholes.  The 
walls  were  loosely  built,  so  that  in  two  or  three  minutes  he 
had  made  a  satisfactory  hole  in  the  front  of  the  hut,  while 
Peter  had  already  made  one  at  the  back. 

"  It  is  lucky  that  we  did  not  run  on,"  Yorke  said,  as  he 
looked  out.  "  There  are  a  dozen  mounted  Boers  coming 
along  from  behind  the  hill.  Work  away,  Peter,  we  had  better 
have  two  holes,  one  on  each  side  of  the  door;  I  will  show 
these  fellows  that  we  mean  fighting  when  they  come  a  little 
nearer.  They  are  sure  to  draw  off  and  talk,  and  that  will 
give  us  plenty  of  time  to  get  ready  for  them." 

When  the  mounted  Boers  were  within  four  hundred  yards 
he  took  a  steady  aim  and  fired,  one  of  them  fell  headlong 
from  his  horse;  the  others  reined  in  sharply,  but  before 
they  could  turn,  the  rifle  spoke  out  twice,  another  man  fell, 
and  a  third  swerved  in  his  saddle  evidently  hard  hit;  the 
others  galloped  off,  but  the  fourth  cartridge  in  the  magazine 
did  its  work,  and  another  man  fell.  Yorke  recharged  his 
rifle,  stood  it  in  a  corner,  and  then  aided  Peter. 

"You  hit  them,  baas?" 

"I  have  killed  three  and  wounded  one,"  he  said  quietly. 
"  That  will  make  them  careful ;  anyhow,  they  have  learned 
that  we  can  shoot." 

"  There  are  some  men  coming  down  the  hill,  baas." 

"Very  well,  then,  do  you  go  on  with  your  work,  I  will 
check  them  a  bit  too." 


150  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

He  went  to  a  loophole  the  native  had  completed.  Some 
twenty  or  thirty  men  were  coming  down  the  hill;  the  lesson 
given  to  the  horsemen  had  not  been  without  its  effect  on 
them  also,  for  they  were  taking  to  what  cover  boulders 
and  bush  afforded.  He  waited  till  he  got  a  good  view  of  a 
man  making  his  way  from  one  shelter  to  another,  and  as 
he  fired  the  Boer  fell  headlong.  A  dozen  rifles  flashed  in 
reply;  two  or  three  bullets  went  through  the  roof,  which 
was  only  of  felt  spread  over  a  light  framework,  the  others 
pattered  harmlessly  against  the  wall. 

"  Look  out  occasionally  to  see  what  the  mounted  men  are 
doing,  Peter.  There  is  little  chance  of  these  fellows  on  the 
hill  making  up  their  minds  to  try  a  rush  across  the  open 
ground,  and  though  they  may  be  good  shots,  their  chance  of 
getting  a  ball  through  a  hole  two  inches  wide  and  three 
high  is  not  very  great;  it  would  be  as  well  to  make  two 
more,  so  that  we  can  move  from  one  point  to  another." 

Peter  soon  finished  his  work. 

"  May  I  fire  now,  baas  ? "  he  asked  eagerly. 

"Yes,  but  make  sure  of  your  aim.  I  have  fired  about 
twenty  shots  and  at  least  eighteen  have  told.  Certainly 
eight,  counting  those  at  the  horsemen,  have  been  fatal,  that 
is  what  keeps  them  so  quiet.  A  number  of  misses  would  en- 
courage them.  Always  rest  the  muzzle  of  your  rifle  on 
bottom  of  the  loophole.  You  had  best  fix  upon  your  man, 
and  watch  the  shelter  where  he  is  lying,  then  you  won't  be 
hurried,  and  can  fire  directly  he  moves  or  changes  his 
position." 

"  Well  done ! "  he  exclaimed  two  or  three  minutes  later, 
when,  as  Peter  fired,  he  saw  a  Boer  pitch  forward,  while 
the  native  raised  a  triumphant  shout. 

For  hours  the  exchange  of  rifle-fire  continued. 

"  They  won't  move  till  it  is  dark,"  Yorke  said  at  one 
o'clock;  "then  will  be  the  dangerous  time." 

"  They  will  be  able  to  creep  up  to  the  door  and  blow  it  in 
•when  it  gets  dark,  baas.  The  best  plan  will  be  for  you  to 


KIMBEBLEY  151 

slip  out  and  run;  I  will  keep  on  firing,  and  they  will  think 
that  we  are  both  here;  and  when  you  have  got  a  good  start  I 
will  run  too.  The  Boers  on  foot  would  never  catch  me; 
and  as  to  the  mounted  men,  they  would  not  find  me  in  the 
dark,  I  could  hear  them  and  they  would  not  hear  me, 
and  I  could  always  find  some  bush  or  boulder  where  I  could 
hide  if  they  came  my  way. 

"  I  will  not  do  that,  Peter,  unless  you  give  me  your 
solemn  oath  that  you  will  not  stay  more  than  five  minutes 
after  I  have  gone.  I  am  a  good  runner  too." 

"I  will  promise  that,  baas.  I  don't  want  the  Boers  to 
catch  me,  but  if  we  were  to  stop  firing  they  would  guess  at 
once  that  we  had  gone.  I  will  fire  very  quick,  sometimea 
out  of  one  hole  sometimes  out  of  the  other,  so  that  they 
will  think  there  are  two  of  us.  They  would  stop  a  minute 
or  two  after  I  had  done  firing,  and  then  come  up  very 
slowly  and  cautiously.  The  only  fear  is  from  the  mounted 
men,  who  will  be  out  on  the  plain  as  soon  as  it  is  dark." 


CHAPTER  IX 

KIMBERLEY 

THE  Boer  fire  slackened  as  the  day  went  on,  for  the 
besiegers  had  learned  that  it  was  death  to  raise  a  head 
above  a  rock.  There  were  originally  a  hundred  Boers  on 
the  kopje,  and  of  these  eighteen  had  been  killed  and  twelve 
wounded,  the  proportion  of  killed  being  so  great  in  conse- 
quence of  the  majority  of  wounds  being  in  the  head.  A 
messenger  had  been  despatched  to  them  from  a  hill  on  the 
other  side  of  the  road,  but  hearing  that  there  were  only  two 
men  in  the  hut  no  aid  had  been  sent  to  them,  and  they  were 
now  lying  waiting  for  night,  for  none  dared  ascend  the  hill 
again,  exposed  to  the  deadly  fire  from  the  defenders.  One 


152  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

or  other  of  them  had  remained  at  a  loophole  all  day.  Not  a 
shot  had  entered,  for  the  Boers  had  fired  too  hastily  to  take 
accurate  aim,  but  the  roof  was  riddled  with  bullets.  It  was 
getting  dusk  when  Peter  held  up  his  hand  and  listened,  and 
then  threw  himself  down,  putting  his  ear  to  the  ground. 

"What  is  it,  Peter?" 

"  Horsemen  coming,  baas,  many  horsemen." 

Yorke  ran  to  the  other  side  of  the  hut.  He  could  see 
nothing  at  first,  for  the  night  was  fast  closing  in,  and  he 
had  just  said  that  in  another  quarter  of  an  hour  it  would 
be  dark  enough  to  make  a  start,  but  soon  he  saw  a  dark 
mass  which  was  fast  approaching.  For  a  moment  he  stood 
irresolute,  then  he  shouted,  "  Hurrah !  they  are  friends.  They 
are  riding  abreast;  if  they  were  Boers,  they  would  be  riding 
anyhow;  pull  the  stones  away  from  the  door." 

The  mass  halted  as  he  spoke,  then  two  horsemen  galloped 
forward  towards  the  hut. 

"Who  is  there?"  a  voice  shouted  in  English. 

Yorke  opened  the  door,  darting  out,  placed  himself  on  the 
side  facing  them.  "  Despatches  from  the  Modder !  "  Then, 
feeling  certain  that  the  Boers,  two  hundred  yards  away, 
would  not  be  able  to  make  out  his  figure  in  the  gloom,  he 
called  to  Peter,  and  together  they  ran  forward.  A  number 
of  shots  were  fired,  but  these  whistled  overhead.  The  Boers 
had  also  doubtless  heard  the  approaching  horse,  and  were 
firing  in  their  direction,  forgetting  for  the  moment  the  two 
men  who  had  all  day  kept  them  at  bay.  In  a  couple  of 
minutes  Yorke  and  Peter  joined  their  rescuers. 

"I  am  glad  indeed  to  see  you,  sir,"  an  officer  said  as  he 
came  up.  "  We  have  heard  firing  going  on  all  day,  and  could 
make  out  that  it  came  from  this  point;  but  as  we  did  not 
know  how  many  Boers  were  on  the  kopje  we  could  not  go  out 
to  see  about  it  till  it  became  dusk.  Are  there  only  you  and 
the  native?" 

"  That  is  all." 

"Then  we  may  as  well  be  off  at  once,  for  though  I  don't 


KIMBEELEY  153 

think  the  Boers  can  make  us  out  at  this  distance,  we  may 
get  a  stray  bullet  among  us  at  any  moment.  Will  you 
mount  behind  me  ?  " 

"  Thank  you.  I  will  run  alongside  and  keep  hold  of  your 
stirrup  leather." 

"Very  well.  We  will  break  into  a  walk  as  soon  we  are 
out  of  range  of  those  rascals,  then  you  shall  tell  me  the 
news." 

He  gave  the  order,  and  the  troop  faced  round  and  went 
off  at  a  trot,  which  they  maintained  until  the  Boer  fire  had 
entirely  ceased. 

"  Tell  me  how  you  got  through  their  lines.  Is  it  possible 
that  you  and  that  native  alone  have  kept  the  Boers  off  all 
day?  The  firing  sounded  heavy  at  times,  and  we  thought 
that  they  must  have  a  considerable  force  there.  After  the 
first  outburst  it  was  for  the  most  part  only  a  dropping  fire." 

"  There  were  about  a  hundred  of  them  I  should  say," 
Yorke  answered.  "  I  happen  to  be  a  very  good  shot,  and 
the  Kaffir  is  a  very  fair  one,  and  the  consequence  was  they 
very  soon  learned  that  it  was  death  to  show  a  head.  Some 
mounted  men  came  out  first,  but  I  waited  till  they  were 
within  two  hundred  yards,  and  four  of  their  horses  went 
back  riderless.  They  did  not  show  again,  and  it  has  been 
a  duel  ever  since  between  us  and  the  men  on  the  hillside,  all 
the  advantage  being  with  us,  as  the  loopholes  through  which 
we  fired  were  but  a  couple  of  inches  wide  at  the  opening. 
We  stopped  their  rush  at  once,  and  they  have  been  in  hiding 
ever  since." 

"  We  heard  that  Lord  Methuen  was  advancing  to  our  relief. 
How  far  is  he  off?" 

"  He  crossed  the  Modder  River  the  day  before  yesterday." 

"  As  near  as  that  is  he  ? "  the  officer  exclaimed.  "  Then  we 
may  indeed  expect  to  see  him  soon.  Was  there  fighting 
there  ?  We  thought  we  heard  a  faint  rumble  on  that  day,  but 
it  might  have  been  thunder  at  a  great  distance." 

"He  has  fought  three  battles,  the  first  at  Belmont,  the 


154  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

second  at  Graspan,  and  the  third  on  the  Modder.  The  bat- 
tle on  the  Modder  was  very  severe,  and  lasted  the  whole 
day.  I  am  afraid  you  won't  see  him  here  as  soon  as  you 
expect.  We  have  had  upwards  of  a  thousand  casualties  in 
the  three  fights.  He  had  only  about  ten  thousand  troops 
with  him,  and  after  the  way  the  Boers  fought  on  the  Modder 
he  will  not  march  until  he  is  joined  by  the  reinforcements 
coming  up,  as  their  position  at  Spytfontein  is  said  to  be 
very  strong.  I  think  it  will  be  twelve  days  or  a  fortnight 
before  he  moves  forward.  Five  or  six  regiments  are  on  their 
way  up,  and  some  heavy  naval  guns.  Stores  are  being 
pushed  forward  as  fast  as  possible.  The  trains  can  only  run 
during  the  daytime,  as  the  Dutch  along  the  line  might  at 
any  moment  pull  up  a  few  rails  or  blow  up  a  culvert,  so 
that,  even  if  the  general  did  not  wait  for  reinforcements, 
he  would  have  to  wait  for  stores  and  ammunition.  Our 
three  batteries  fired  away  nearly  all  they  had,  and  the  con- 
sumption of  ball  cartridge  was  also  very  heavy." 

"Then  the  Boers  fought  stoutly?" 

"  They  fought  stoutly,  but  as  they  were  all  in  deep 
trenches,  and  we  scarcely  caught  sight  of  a  man  during  the 
whole  time,  there  was  no  very  great  credit  in  that.  We 
have  heard  from  prisoners  that  the  Free  Staters  were  for 
the  most  part  placed  in  rifle-pits  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river,  and  as  this  had  been  dammed  and  rendered  unford- 
able,  they  had  no  choice  in  the  matter;  but  they  did  give 
way  at  last,  and  this  compelled  the  whole  force  to  fall 
back;  the  Transvaal  men  were  never  really  attacked.  It 
was  only  on  our  left  that  there  was  a  possibility  of  our  i 
advancing." 

"  So  we  have  lost  a  thousand  altogether,"  the  officer  said —  ; 
"about  ten  per  cent  of  the  total  strength.     That  is  pretty 
heavy  fighting;  but  I  suppose  a  considerable  proportion  were 
only  wounded." 

"Yes;   and  the  doctors  say  that  Mauser  bullets  do  not 
jnake  very  serious  wounds  unless  they  hit  a  vital  point. 


KIMBEBLEY  155 

I  know  that  they  are  quite  surprised  at  the  rapidity  with 
which  many  of  the  wounds  are  healing1,  and  that  men  seem  to 
be  recovering  from  injuries  which  they  at  first  believed  to  be 
mortal.  What  corps  is  yours  ? " 

"  We  are  the  Kimberley  Light  Horse.  We  are  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  strong." 

"  I  suppose  you  are  all  right  here  at  present  ? " 

"  Oh,  yes !  The  Boers  must  be  fighting  a  great  deal  better 
against  Methuen  than  they  are  doing  here.  They  annoy  us  a 
bit  by  throwing  shell  into  the  town,  and  they  have  cut  off  the 
water-supply,  have  raided  a  lot  of  waggons  and  cattle,  and 
blown  up  the  De  Beers  dynamite  magazine,  which  is  a  great 
loss,  as  it  will  put  a  stop  to  most  of  the  work  at  the  mines. 
The  last  was  the  result  of  the  mayor's  timidity  about  an 
explosion,  but  if  the  dynamite  had  been  taken  down  into  the 
mines  it  would  have  been  in  absolute  safety. 

"  The  water  seems  the  most  serious  item." 

"  Well,  it  is  not  as  serious  as  it  looks.  A  lot  of  water 
comes  into  one  of  the  mines,  enough  to  keep  a  big1  pumping- 
engine  at  work,  and  anyhow  there  is  sufficient  to  supply  our 
animals  with  drinking  water,  though  the  authorities  have 
had  to  forbid  its  use  for  watering  gardens  and  that  sort  of 
thing.  What  were  the  first  battles  like  ? " 

"  They  were  the  same  in  each  case.  The  Boers  were  en- 
trenched on  kopjes,  and  as  we  could  not  leave  these  in  rear  we 
had  to  storm  them.  The  fighting  lasted  a  very  short  time, 
but  the  Grenadiers  in  the  first  fight,  and  the  Naval  Brigade 
in  the  second,  lost  very  heavily.  The  Modder  was  quite 
different.  The  Boers  were  hidden  in  the  bushes  that  fringed 
the  river,  and  they  had  on  rising  ground  behind  a  number  of 
guns.  The  fighting  began  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning1,  and 
it  was  not  until  nearly  five  in  the  evening  that  the  regiments 
on  our  left  got  across  the  river.  They  maintained  themselves 
there  till  dark,  and  the  Boers,  fearing  that  the  whole  force 
would  cross  in  the  middle  of  the  night  and  cut  off  their 
retreat,  retired  silently,  and  carried  off  their  guns.  We  won 


156  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

the  passage  of  the  river,  but  it  was  in  no  way  a  decisive 
victory.    And  so  you  have  had  no  fighting  yet  ? " 

"  Very  little.  On  the  25th  we  made  a  sortie  with  one  troop 
of  our  men  and  some  of  the  Cape  Police.  Forty  of  our  fel- 
lows stormed  one  of  their  redoubts,  and  we  brought  in  thirty- 
three  prisoners.  That  was  encouraging,  and  though  Major 
Scott-Turner, .  who  commanded  us,  was  wounded,  he  led  us 
out  again  the  day  before  yesterday.  We  could  just  hear  a  low 
rumble,  and  guessed  that  Methuen  was  fighting,  so  we 
thought  it  would  be  well  to  keep  the  Boers  round  here  and 
prevent  their  sending  reinforcements  to  Spytfontein,  but  I 
expect  the  Boers  had  thought  that  we  would  be  likely  to 
make  some  such  move,  for  they  were  prepared  for  us.  We 
gained  ground  at  first,  but  they  were  soon  on  the  spot  in 
great  force,  and  the  rifle-fire  was  terrible.  Poor  Scott- 
Turner  was  killed  and  twenty-one  of  our  fellows,  and  twenty- 
ei'ght  wounded.  So  it  was  a  bad  affair  altogether,  and  I 
don't  think  we  shall  try  any  more  sorties  of  that  kind. 

"  If  it  hadn't  been  for  that  I  dare  say  we  should  have  come 
out  directly  we  heard  your  firing;  but  after  our  experience 
of  their  Mauser  fire,  it  would  have  been  folly  to  get  within 
range  of  an  unknown  strength  of  Boers  posted  on  a  hill. 
So  we  waited  till  there  was  a  fair  chance  of  our  succouring 
whoever  there  might  be  without  running  any  extraordinary 
risk,  but  we  had  an  anxious  day  of  it.  It  did  not  seem 
that  any  considerable  force  could  have  got  through,  and  yet 
it  was  evident  that,  whoever  it  was,  was  able  to  hold  his 
ground.  We  could  make  out  that  little  hut  with  the  glasses, 
and  it  seemed  to  us  that  it  was  the  point  against  which  the 
Boers  were  firing,  though  at  that  distance  we  could  not  see 
the  smoke  of  your  rifles,  firing  as  you  did  from  the  side 
facing  the  hill." 

They  had  by  this  time  reached  the  line  of  defence. 

"  Now,  sir,"  the  officer  said,  "  if  you  will  mount  my  horse 
one  of  the  troopers  will  ride  with  you  to  the  commandant's 
quarters,  and  will  bring  my  horse  back  with  him." 


157 

The  colonel  was  in  his  office.  During  the  greater  part  of 
the  day  he  passed  his  time  at  the  look-out  at  Wesselton  mine. 
It  was  erected  on  the  top  of  the  mine  head-gear,  a  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  above  the  level.  This  lofty  look-out  com- 
manded a  view  of  the  whole  country  round.  Yorke  was  shown 
in  at  once. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be  the  bearer  of  a  despatch  from 
Lord  Methuen,  sir,"  Yorke  said  as  he  came. 

"  You  have  managed  to  get  through  the  Boers  ?  You  have 
done  well  indeed.  Did  you  come  alone  ? " 

"  I  came  with  this  Kaffir  scout.  He  is  one  of  a  small 
party  under  my  orders.  He  has  been  two  years  at  work  here 
and  knows  the  country  well.  I  should  never  have  got  through 
without  him,  and  he  has  stood  by  me  most  bravely  all 
day." 

"Ah!  then  it  was  your  firing  that  we  have  been  hearing. 
The  officer  in  command  of  the  Light  Horse  sent  a  message  to 
say  that  he  intended,  with  my  permission,  to  go  out  as  soon 
as  it  was  dusk,  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  the  cause  of  firing, 
and  bring  off  any  party  who  might  be  defending  themselves 
against  the  Boers.  Of  course  I  was  willing  that  he  should 
do  so,  but,  anxious  as  we  were,  I  could  not  run  the  risk  of 
losing  a  number  of  men  by  sending  out  a  force  by  daylight. 
Take  a  seat,  sir,  while  I  go  through  the  despatch." 

"  The  general  evidently  thinks,"  he  said,  when  he  had  read 
it,  "  that  we  know  what  has  been  taking  place  outside.  We 
know  nothing  beyond  the  fact  that  a  column  under  Lord 
Methuen  was  advancing  from  the  Orange  River  Station. 
Now,  I  shall  be  obliged  if  you  will  give  me  full  information 
as  to  what  happened  between  the  time  he  left  and  his  arrival 
on  the  Modder." 

Yorke  gave  a  full  account  of  the  movements  and  battles. 

"  The  Boers  are  making  a  much  stouter  resistance  than  I 
expected  of  them,"  the  colonel  said,  when  the  story  was 
brought  to  a  conclusion.  "  Now,  tell  me,  if  you  please,  how 
you  managed  to  get  through  here." 


168  WITH  BOBEETS  TO  PBETOKIA 

Yorke  then  described  his  adventure. 

"Very  good  indeed,  sir;  admirably  done.  You  and  your 
Kaffir  must  be  good  marksmen  indeed  to  have,  as  you  say, 
killed  eighteen  of  them  and  wounded  twelve  others." 

"  The  distance  was  short — not  over  two  hundred  yards.  As 
we  were  in  almost  perfect  shelter,  and  they  had  to  expose 
themselves  to  fire  at  us,  we  could  scarce  miss  hitting  them. 
And  now,  sir,  I  have  a  message  to  give  you  privately.  The 
despatch  was,  I  think,  intended  to  be  made  public,  should  you 
think  fit  to  do  so,  as  an  encouragement  to  the  inhabitants, 
and,  moreover,  if  it  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands,  it  could  do 
no  great  harm.  I  have  a  verbal  message  from  General  Col- 
ville,  who  is  in  command  while  Lord  Methuen  is  temporarily 
disabled.  He  told  me  that  I  was  to  give  it  to  you  privately, 
as  it  would  not  be  desirable  that  everyone  should  be  aware  of 
it.  It  was  to  this  effect,  that  after  the  desperate  resistance 
offered  by  the  Boers  at  the  Modder  Eiver,  and  the  fact  that 
only  a  portion  of  their  force  was  engaged  there,  it  is  quite 
possible  that  the  attack  upon  the  very  strong  position  they 
hold  at  Spytfontein  may  fail,  and  in  that  case  there  may  be 
a  long  delay,  as  the  attack  could  not  be  renewed  until  large 
reinforcements  arrive  from  England.  He  is  therefore  anxious 
to  know  exactly  how  matters  stand  here — what  stores  and 
food  you  have,  and  how  long  you  consider  that  you  can  pos- 
sibly hold  out.  Upon  that  his  movements  will  necessarily 
depend.  If  you  are  approaching  the  period  when  starvation 
would  oblige  you  to  surrender,  another  effort  to  relieve  you 
must  at  whatever  cost  be  made;  if  not,  he  would  not  repeat 
an  operation  which,  even  if  successful,  can  only  be  effected  at 
immense  loss,  and  might  lead  to  his  being  in  turn  be- 
leaguered here." 

"  I  can  quite  understand  his  anxiety  on  that  score,"  Colo- 
nel Kekewich  said.  "  As  to  holding  the  place,  I  have  no  fear 
whatever.  We  have  five  hundred  Lancashires,  three  hundred 
and  eighty  Kimberley  Rifle  Volunteers,  ninety-five  men  of 
the  Eoyal  Artillery,  and  one  hundred  and  eighteen  Diamond 


KIMBEBLEY  159 

Field  Artillery.  Of  cavalry  we  have  three  hundred  and  fifty 
Kimberley  Light  Horse— they  were  armed  and  are  paid  by 
Khodes — three  hundred  Cape  Police,  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  Diamond  Field  Horse.  Besides  these  we  have  a  town 
guard,  which  comprises  the  greater  part  of  the  able-bodied 
men,  about  two  thousand  eight  hundred.  So  that  altogether 
we  can  oppose  any  attack  with  four  thousand  eight  hundred 
men,  all  of  whom  could,  I  am  sure,  be  trusted  to  fight  their 
best.  But  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  chance  of  the  Boers 
attacking  us.  They  believe  they  can  starve  us  out,  and,  of 
course,  they  could  do  so  in  time;  but  I  feel  sure  that  we  can 
hold  out  for  some  months.  The  De  Beers  people  got  up  a 
quantity  of  provisions  before  the  line  was  cut,  and  a  large 
firm  at  Cape  Town  also  sent  up  great  supplies. 

"  We  have  cattle  enough  to  go  on  for  some  time,  and.  when 
they  are  used  up  we  must  take  to  horse-flesh.  I  will  obtain  a 
rough  account  of  our  stores  for  you  to-morrow.  It  will  be 
best  for  you  to  learn  it  by  heart,  for  if  the  Boers,  who  have,  I 
fancy,  no  idea  how  we  are  supplied,  were  to  learn  the  facts, 
they  might  move  away  for  a  few  days  to  strengthen  Cronje  at 
Spytfontein;  and  in  the  event  of  Lord  Methuen  failing  to 
break  through,  might  see  that  they  were  but  wasting  their 
time  here,  and,  leaving  enough  to  keep  Methuen  in  check, 
might  send  some  five  thousand  men  on  a  raid  into  the 
Colony;  whereas  at  present  we  are  keeping  that  number  idle 
here.  I  suppose  you  won't  be  starting  again  at  once  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  I  am  feeling  pretty  well  done  up,  for  I  have  not 
had  much  sleep  since  the  night  before  the  attack  on  the 
Modder;  and  besides,  I  shoujfl  like  to  see  the  defences,  so 
that  I  could  explain  the  situation  to  Lord  Methuen." 

"I  will  lend  you  a  copy  of  my  plans,  Mr.  Harberton.  I 
say  lend,  because  it  would  not  do  for  you  to  take  it  out  of 
here,  for  it  would  be  very  valuable  to  the  Boers  if  it  were 
to  fall  into  their  hands.  I  will  place  a  horse  at  your  dis- 
posal to-morrow.  I  am  sorry  to  have  kept  you  talking1  all 
this  time;  you  must  be  famished." 


160  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"No,  indeed,  sir.  I  brought  a  tin  of  meat  and  some 
bread  out  with  me." 

"  Ah,  well,  you  will  be  all  the  better  for  dinner,  and  mine 
must  be  ready  by  this  time.  I  hope  you  will  join  me. 
There  is  a  bed  upstairs  at  your  disposal.  I  will  tell  them 
to  give  your  boy  something  to  eat,  too." 

As  soon  as  dinner  was  over,  Yorke  went  to  bed  and  slept 
till  next  morning,  when,  obtaining  a  permit,  signed  by  the 
commandant,  authorizing  him  to  go  wherever  he  pleased,  he 
made  a  tour  of  the  forts  round  the  town.  Several  of  these 
were  placed  on  the  great  heaps  of  debris  from  the  mines,  and 
commanded  a  wide  view  over  the  country.  These  heaps  were 
very  steep  on  the  outward  face,  and  it  had  not  been  deemed 
necessary  to  erect  any  serious  works  on  the  crests,  but  breast- 
works, of  stone  had  been  thrown  up  to  protect  the  men  from 
rifle-fire  should  the  Boers  venture  to  make  an  attack.  The 
ground  round  the  town  had  been  cleared  of  the  houses  which 
would  interfere  with  the  line  of  fire.  Native  huts  had  all  been 
levelled,  and  the  bushes  cleared  away,  so  that  the  enemy 
would  have  to  cross  the  open  and  be  exposed  to  musketry  and 
artillery  fire.  This  was  a  great  advantage  from  the  point  of 
view  of  defence;  but  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  an  equal 
disadvantage  to  the  British  when  they  made  sorties  against 
the  enemy,  as  the  latter  could  lie  hidden  among  the  bushes, 
while  our  men  had  to  advance  across  the  open. 

Search-lights  had  been  established  on  the  lofty  top  of  one 
of  the  mine-works,  and  at  night  swept  the  circle  of  cleared 
ground,  so  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  Boers  to  crawl  up  to 
make  a  sudden  attack.  Barrjcades  had  been  formed  across 
all  the  streets  leading  out  of  the  town,  and  no  one  was  al- 
lowed to  pass  in  or  out  after  nightfall.  It  was  hoped  that 
in  this  way  the  Boer  sympathizers  in  the  town  would  not  be 
able  to  carry  news  to  their  friends  outside.  In  spite  of  these 
precautions,  however,  there  is  no  doubt  that  throughout  the 
siege  the  enemy  were  aware  of  all  that  was  done.  In  the 
town  itself,  there  were  few  visible  signs  of  the  bombardment, 


KIMBEELEY  161 

though  here  and  there  a  house  in  ruins  showed  that  a  shell 
had  burst  inside.  The  town  was  full  of  people,  for  although 
some  of  the  wealthiest  men  had  left  before  the  siege  began, 
their  places  were  filled  by  hundreds  who  came  in  from  the 
houses  outside  the  line  that  was  to  be  held,  and  from  the 
farming"  stations  in  the  surrounding  country. 

Many,  too,  had  moved  in  from  the  outlying  suburb  of 
Kenilworth,  and  from  that  part  of  Beaconsfield  which  would 
be  most  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  Boer  guns.  Numbers  of 
Kaffirs  had  also  come  in.  So  far,  the  bombardment  had 
effected  comparatively  little  damage,  for  the  Boers  had  not 
as  yet  brought  up  their  big  guns.  Nevertheless,  most  of  the 
inhabitants  had  erected  some  sort  of  shelter,  with  bags  filled 
with  earth,  and  roofed  with  timber,  over  which  more  sand- 
bags were  placed.  Underground  shelters  could  not  well  be 
constructed,  for  the  soil  was  but  eighteen  inches  deep,  and 
below  it  was  the  solid  rock.  It  was  intended  that  directly 
the  enemy  began  the  bombardment  in  earnest  with  heavier 
guns,  the  women  and  children  should  be  lowered  into  the 
mines,  where  they  would  be  perfectly  safe  from  harm. 

Yorke  was  out  the  whole  day  taking  notes  of  everything 
he  saw,  in  order  to  be  able  to  report  as  fully  as  possible.  He 
was  accosted  by  many  officers,  and  warmly  invited  into  their 
mess-rooms.  He  could  not  refuse  these  invitations,  as  he 
knew  how  intensely  anxious  all  were  to  hear  the  news  from 
outside,  and  especially  the  accounts  of  the  fighting.  He  took 
Peter  with  him  on  his  rounds,  pointing  out  everything  to  him, 
so  that  if  he  himself  were  captured  on  his  way  out,  and  the 
Kaffir  escaped,  he  would  be  able  to  give  as  much  information 
as  possible  to  the  general.  On  returning  to  dinner  at  the 
commandant's,  he  found  the  list  of  the  stores  in  readiness. 

"  You  understand  this  is  only  approximate,  Mr.  Harberton. 
A  great  many  of  the  residents  have  stores  of  their  own;  hav- 
ing, as  soon  as  it  was  evident  that  we  were  going  to  be  cut 
off,  bought  a  large  supply  from  the  storekeepers  for  their  own 
use.  As  you  will  see,  the  only  item  in  which  we  are  likely  to 

(M839)  I, 


162  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

fail  is  preserved  milk.  Unfortunately  the  Boers  managed  to 
drive  off  all  our  milch  cows  a  day  or  two  after  they  closed 
in,  and  we  have  only  the  tins  left  to  rely  upon.  It  is  not  of 
much  importance  to  the  men,  but  were  the  supply  to  run 
out,  I  fear  it  would  be  very  trying  for  the  young  children. 
With  that  exception  you  will  see  we  are  fairly  supplied  for 
three  months,  possibly  for  longer,  as,  of  course,  the  rations 
will  be  reduced  if  we  find  that  we  are  not  relieved. 

Yorke  spent  two  or  three  hours  that  evening  learning  by 
heart  the  items  of  the  list.  Then  he  put  the  figures  down  in 
the  order  in  which  they  stood.  These  without  a  key  would 
furnish  no  information,  and  he, had  no  fear  of  forgetting 
what  each  group  referred  to.  In  the  morning  he  asked  the 
colonel  which  side  of  the  town  he  considered  would  offer  the 
best  chance  of  getting  through  unobserved. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  go  on  foot  or  on  horseback  ?  Of  course 
I  will  furnish  you  with  two  horses  if  you  decide  on 
riding." 

"I  should  be  glad  of  them  if  I  were  once  through  the 
Boers,  sir;  but  there  would  be  so  much  greater  chance  of  my 
being  seen  if  mounted,  that  I  should  much  prefer  going  on 
foot. 

"  I  think  you  are  right.  In  any  case,  it  will  be  best  for  you 
to  make  to  the  north-east,  leaving  by  the  road  to  Boshof, 
which  goes  out  close  to  the  De  Beers  mine.  The  Boers  have 
an  entrenchment  on  Tarantaalrand  Kop,  on  its  right,  and 
one  on  Tafel  Kop,  on  its  left;  but  they  are  less  likely  to  be 
watchful  on  that  side  than  they  are  on  the  south  or  west,  as  it 
would  be  in  those  directions  that  any  messenger  or  despatch- 
rider  would  be  most  likely  to  go.  What  time  do  you  propose 
starting  ?" 

"  At  nine  o'clock,  sir.    It  will  be  quite  dark  by  that  time." 

"  Very  well ;  then  I  will  get  a  troop  of  cavalry  to  go  out 
toward^  Kamfers  Dam,  and  will  open  fire  from  the  guns  on 
that  -side.  Of  course  they  will  be  told  not  to  push  the  attack 
home,  but  to  retire  as  soon  as  the  Boers  begin  to  fire  hotly. 


KIMBEBLEY  163 

In  that  way  the  attention  of  the  Boers  on  the  kopjes  you 
have  to  pass  will  be  attracted,  and  you  will  have  a  better 
chance  of  getting  through  unseen.  I  will,  of  course,  order 
that  the  search-light  shall  not  be  directed  near  the  road  that 
you  are  travelling,  but  it  shall  play  frequently  on  the  two 
kopjes;  the  beam  will  pretty  nearly  blind  the  men  up  there. 
The  best  eyes  cannot  stand  the  glare  of  a  search-light  long, 
and  when  it  is  turned  off,  can  see  nothing  for  some  time. 
So  I  think  that,  what  with  that  and  the  attack  on  the  other 
side,  you  will  be  able  to  make  your  way  through,  if  you 
have  luck.  Of  course  you  will  not  go  as  far  as  Boshof,  and 
once  past  their  lines,  you  will  journey  due  south.  In  that 
way  you  will  strike  the  Boshof  and  Jacobsdal  road.  When 
you  do  so,  your  course  will  be  west,  with  a  little  south,  which 
will  lead  you  into  your  camp  without  going  near  their  lines 
at  Spytfontein  and  Magersfontein.  You  had  better  have  a 
good  look  at  my  map.  It  is  not  as  accurate  as  it  ought 
to  be,  but  it  will  at  least  be  of  some  assistance  to  you.  Have 
you  a  compass  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  it  is  of  no  use  at  night  unless  one  is  quite 
sure  that  there  are  no  Boers  near,  as  the  striking  of  a  match 
may  be  seen  a  very  long  way." 

"  I  will  give  you  some  American  matches.  They  are 
beastly  things,  with  a  lot  of  sulphur  in  them,  but  they  have 
the  advantage  that  they  do  not  strike  with  a  sudden  flash 
like  most  English  matches,  especially  the  safety-matches. 
There  is  only  just  enough  phosphorus  to  light  the  sulphur, 
but,  without  allowing  the  flame  to  catch  the  wood,  they  will 
give  enough  light  to  let  you  see  your  compass.  I  don't  say 
that  it  would  be  safe  to  strike  one  of  them  if  there  was  a 
Boer  within  a  hundred  yards.  But  I  do  not  think  that  the 
light  would  be  seen  half  a  mile  away,  especially  as  you  would 
,  naturally  strike  it  in  the  heart  of  a  bush  or  in  the  shelter  of 
a  clump  of  rocks.  Of  course  there  is  no  chance  of  your  get- 
ting back  to  camp  before  daylight,  for  the  morning  begins  to 
break  soon  after  five  o'clock." 


164  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"  Thank  you,  sir !  I  shall  be  very  much  obliged  for  the 
matches;  they  would  certainly  prove  most  useful." 

Yorke  did  not  care  to  walk  about  much,  as  he  had  a  hard 
night's  work  before  him,  and  he  spent  the  day  in  one  of  the 
forts  which  was  exchanging  an  occasional  shot  with  a  Boer 
battery,  chatting  with  the  officer  in  command. 

"  The  Boers  are  shocking  bad  shots,"  the  latter  said.  "  You 
are  in  much  more  danger  of  being  hit  when  they  are  not 
firing  at  you  than  when  they  are  aiming  at  you.  They  direct 
their  fire  principally  at  Wesselton  Mine,  in  the  hope,  no 
doubt,  that  shells  will  go  down  the  pit  and  damage  the  pump- 
ing-gear,  for  if  they  should  succeed  we  should  find  it  very  dif- 
ficult to  maintain  our  water-supply,  as  it  would  all  have  to 
be  carried  up  from  the  mine  by  hand.  Not  a  single  shot  has 
fallen  within  a  hundred  yards  of  it.  They  have  damaged  the 
houses  a  good  deal  in  the  line  of  fire,  but  they  have  never 
been  able  to  give  their  guns  the  right  elevation.  I  fancy 
their  powder  is  by  no  means  good,  and  is  very  uneven  in 
quality.  Sometimes  it  will  carry  a  good  deal  beyond  the 
mine,  and  at  other  times  falls  short  of  it." 

"  You  have  a  good  supply  of  shell,  have  you  not  ? " 

"Yes,  a  very  fair  supply;  and  the  De  Beers  people  have 
begun  casting  some,  and  have  turned  out  some  very  fair 
specimens.  They  are  rougher  than  British  work,  no  doubt, 
but  they  serve  the  purpose  very  well,  and  we  can  make  as 
good  practice  with  them  as  with  our  own.  Ah,  here  comes 
the  man  himself!  He  often  comes  up  here  for  a  look-out. 
I  don't  think  he  gets  on  very  well  with  the  commandant,  but 
the  people  here  swear  by  him,  and  his  presence  is  an  immense . 
encouragement  to  Us  all ;  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  with 
the  resources  he  has  at  his  back,  with  a  whole  army  of  well- 
trained  mechanics  of  all  sorts,  and  machinery,  to  say  nothing 
of  his  miners  and  Kaffirs,  he  is  a  host  in  himself." 

As  he  spoke  Ehodes  himself  came  up.  Yorke  looked  with 
interest  at  the  man  who  is  the  Napoleon  of  South  Africa — 
a  square-built  man,  with  a  smoothly  shaven  face  except  for  a 


YORKE   GAVE   A   FULL   ACCOUNT   OF   THE   BATTLES. 


KIMBEKLEY  165 

thick  moustache,  with  hair  waving  back  from  a  broad  fore- 
head, strong  'and  determined  chin  and  mouth,  somewhat 
broad  in  the  cheeks,  giving  his  face  the  appearance  of  square- 
ness, light  eyes,  keen  but  kindly;  altogether  a  strong  and 
pleasant  face. 

"Good-morning!"  he  said  to  the  officer;  "things  seem 
pretty  quiet  to-day.  Our  tight  three  days  back  could  not  be 
called  a  success  in  itself,  but  it  must  have  given  the  Boers  a 
higher  respect  for  our  fighting  powers,  and  made  them  dislike 
more  than  ever  the  idea  of  trying  to  attack  us.  I  do  not 
think  I  know  your  face,  sir,"  he  went  on,  turning  to  Yorke. 
"  I  thought  I  knew  all  the  officers  in  the  place." 

"  I  only  came  in  the  day  before  yesterday,  in  the  evening, 
bringing  despatches  from  Lord  Methuen  to  Colonel  Keke- 
wich." 

"A  gallant  action,  sir,"  Mr.  Rhodes  said,  holding  out  his 
hand  to  him.  "  Of  course  I  heard  about  it,  and  of  your 
plucky  defence  all  day  till  the  Kimberley  Horse  went  out  and 
brought  you  in.  I  heard  at  the  mess  of  the  Diamond  Field 
Horse  yesterday  that  you  had  been  there  an  hour  before,  and 
given  them  an  account  of  Lord  Methuen's  three  battles.  If 
you  have  nothing  better  to  do,  sir,  perhaps  you  will  kindly 
tell  me  the  story.  We  had  better  sit  down  on  these  sand- 
bags. The  commandant  sent  me  a  copy  of  your  report,  but 
that,  of  course,  gave  no  details." 

Yorke  gave  a  full  account  of  the  battles. 

"  It  does  not  seem  to  me,"  Mr.  Rhodes  said  when  he  had 
finished,  "  that  there  can  be  sufficient  scouting.  Of  course 
I  am  not  a  military  man,  and  know  nothing  of  the  handling 
of  the  troops.  But  certainly  before  attacking  a  place  I 
should  have  taken  steps  to  find  out  the  exact  position  of  the 
enemy,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  their  strength.  This  could 
have  been  done  by  a  handful  of  mounted  men.  Now,  tell  me 
a  little  more  -as  to  how  you  got  through." 

Yorke  much  more  briefly  gave  the  account  of  his  journey. 

"And  now,  Mr.  Harberton — for  such,  I  hear,  is  your 


1G6  WITH  BOBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

name — will  you  tell  me  how  it  comes  that  so  young  an 
officer  was  entrusted  with  such  hazardous  work.  First  of 
all,  would  you  mind  telling  me  something  about  yourself.  I 
like  to  know  the  ins  and  outs  of  things.  Believe  me,  I  am 
not  asking  from  mere  curiosity." 

Yorke  felt  that  in  this  strong  able  man  he  might  find  a 
valuable  friend,  therefore  he  gave  him  a  sketch  of  his  rea- 
sons for  leaving  England. 

"  So  you  were  at  Rugby!  "  his  hearer  broke JIL "  J  amuA 

public-school  boy  myself,  you  know,  and  there  is  always  _$, 
fellow-feeling  among  public-school  boys,  even  if  they  werg 
not  at  the  same  jschool.  You  came  out  to  a  cousin,  you  say, 
and  that  is  some  eight  months  ago.  What  did  you  do  with 
him?" 

"  I  looked  after  his  farm  a  bit,  but  the  greater  part  of  my 
time  I  spent  in  learning  to  shoot  and  to  speak  Dutch." 

"  Do  you  speak  Dutch  well  ? " 

"  Well  enough  to  pass  in  ordinary  conversation,  sir.  I  had 
a  Dutch  boy  as  a  companion,  and  as  my  cousin's  wife  was 
Dutch,  that  language  was  principally  spoken  in  the  house." 

"And  why  did  you  leave?" 

"  I  should  have  gone  anyhow,  sir,  because,  from  what  I 
heard  from  the  Dutch  who  came  there,  there  was  certain  to 
be  war;  and  as  I  could  ride  well,  had  made  myself  a  good 
shot,  and  could  speak  Dutch  and  a  little  Kaffir,  I  thought  I 
might  be  useful  in  the  scouting  way.  If  I  had  not  been 
able  to  enlist  in  such  a  corps  I  should  have  enlisted,  if  pos- 
sible, in  the  regular  cavalry.  But  I  left  suddenly.  I  was 
shot  at  by  a  young"  Boer,  a  relation  of  my  cousin's  wife, 
who  was  jealous  because  I  had  beaten  him  in  a  shooting 
match.  His  ball  went  through  my  hat,  and  I  naturally  fired 
back  in  return,  and  the  bullet  struck  him  in  the  chest.  They 
did  not  think  that  the  wound  would  be  mortal,  but  my  cousin 
thought  it  better  that  I  should  go  at  once,  as  the  fellow  had 
many  friends  round  him  who  would  certainly  take  the 
matter  up." 


KIMBEELEY  •  167 

Then  he  related  how  he  had  obtained  a  commission  in  the 
latter  corps,  and  had  gone  up  with  Colonel  Pinkerton;  and 
had  ridden  out  dressed  as  a  Dutchman,  as  they  went  up  the 
line,  to  obtain  information  as  to  the  sentiments  of  the  Afri- 
canders; and  how  in  the  same  disguise  he  had  gone  with  the 
Dutch  lad  who  had  accompanied  him,  among  the  Boers,  and 
had  learned  that  the  commando  was  going  south,  and  that 
there  was  no  intention  of  attacking  De  Aar;  how  twenty 
Kaffirs  had  been  placed  under  him,  and  had  done  what  scout- 
ing was  possible  on  the  way  up  to  the  Modder. 

"  I  see  that  you  have  plenty  of  intelligence,  as  well  as  grit, 
Mr.  Harberton.  When  this  war  is  over  come  to  me;  you  are 
the  sort  of  man  I  want,  and  I  promise  you  that  you  will  find 
me  a  good  friend." 

"  Thank  you  very  much,  sir !  " 

"No,  you  have  to  thank  yourself,"  Mr.  Ehodes  said..  "A 
lacljeho  will  learn  Dutch  in  six  months,  instead  of  content- 
ing himself  with  sporting  and  amusement,  as  too  many  young 
fellows  who  come  out  here  do,  who  will  undertake  dangerous 
enterprises,  and  carry  them  through  as  successfully  as  you 
have  done,  is  certain,  in  any  case,  to  make  his  way,  and 
deserves  £6  do  so.  I  am  a  hard  worker  myself,  and  I  am  only 
to6  glad  to  have  'men  round  me  with  clear  heads,  a  capacity 
for  work,  and,  in  a  pinch,  plenty  of  pluck  and  decision.  All 
these  you  have  shown.  You  have  come  out  at  a  younger  age 
than  most  men,  and  have  already  highly  distinguished  your- 
self. Don't  be  foolish  and  take  a  commission  if  it  is  offered 
to  you,  at  any  rate  not  for  a  permanency.  It  is  a  poor  busi- 
ness, and  unless  you  have  an  income  of  your  own,  it  would  be 
as  much  as  you  could  do  to  keep  your  head  above  water 
until  the  time  when  you  might  become  a  captain.  In  Rho- 
desia you  will  by  that  time  be  in  a  position  that  a  colonel 
might  envy." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.  I  had  no  thought  of  taking  a  commis- 
sion where  I  could  render  but  little  service  except  as  an 
interpreter,  and  did  I  take  it  I  should  certainly  resign  at  the 


168  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

end  of  the  war.  I  came  out  here  to  push  my  way,  and  be 
able  to  help  my  mother  and  sisters  to  some  extent,  in  the 
event  of  the  death  of  my  father,  whose  income  as  a  clergy- 
man will,  of  course,  expire  with  him,  and  who  can  now  only 
afford  to  insure  his  life  for  a  small  sum.  Therefore  I  most 
gratefully  accept  your  very  kind  offer,  and  when  this  business 
is  ended  will  come  to  you,  and  be  only  too  glad  to  accept  any 
post  that  you  may  think  me  fit  for." 

They  had  been  alone  during  this  conversation,  as  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  battery  had  left  them  to  attend 
to  his  duties  when  they  first  sat  down  to  talk.  Mr.  Ehodes 
now  rose,  and  shook  hands  with  Yorke ;  then,  nodding  to  the 
officer,  said,  "  I  shall  be  up  again  this  afternoon  if  the  Boers 
make  any  fresh  move,"  and  strolled  away.  Yorke  dined  that 
evening  at  the  mess  of  the  Kimberley  Horse,  but  left 
directly  the  cloth  was  removed,  and  having  said  good-bye  to 
Colonel  Kekewich,  started  with  Peter,  an  officer  accompany- 
ing them  to  pass  them  out  through  the  lines.  Already  there 
was  a  sound  of  musketry  away  near  Kamfers  Dam;  the  Boer 
guns  joined  in,  and  the  battery  at  which  he  had  passed  the 
morning  replied  to  their  fire. 

"That  will  occupy  their  attention  on  the  kopje  near  this 
road,  Peter.  We  will  keep  along  close  to  it  as  far  as  we  can. 
It  is  all  open  veldt,  and  as  far  as  I  can  make  out,  the  foot 
of  the  kopjes  is  at  least  two  or  three  hundred  yards  from  it, 
so  that  walking  will  be  a  good  deal  easier  than  it  was 
coming  here.  But  mind,  if  we  are  surprised,  Peter,  you 
are  to  follow  my  orders  and  make  a  bolt  for  it  at  once. 
As  long  as  the  ground  is  open  like  this  I  can  use  my  own 
eyes,  and  I  wish  you  now  to  fall  back  and  walk  thirty  or 
forty  yards  behind  me.  It  is  of  no  use  our  both  being  cap- 
tured. I  have  given  you  a  copy  of  the  figures  that  I  have 
put  down,  and  have  gone  through  them  over  and  over  again 
with  you,  so  that  you  know  what  each  of  them  means.  I 
have  also  told  you  the  message  Colonel  Kekewich  sent  me, 
which  you  are  to  repeat  to  the  general  when  you  get  back  to 


KIMBEBLEY          •  169 

the  Modder.  When  we  have  got  well  past  the  Kopjes  you 
can  come  up  to  me  again,  but  until  we  do  so  keep  well  be- 
hind, and  if  I  am  suddenly  pounced  upon  make  straight  off. 
We  have  agreed  that  you  can  follow  me  and  help  me  if  there 
is  a  chance  of  making  my  escape,  but  I  hardly  think  that 
such  a  chance  would  occur.  However,  that  I  must  leave  to  you. 
But  you  must  remember  that  you  are  not  to  follow  me  long, 
not  more  than  a  day  or  two,  for  it  is  all-important  that  the 
message  should  get  to  the  Modder  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  If  it  is  your  orders,  I  must  obey  them,"  the  Kaffir  said, 
"  but  I  don't  like  it,  baas." 

"  Never  mind  that,  Peter ;  we  all  have  to  do  things  we 
don't  like  sometimes.  Now,  drop  back." 

Yorke  had  before  leaving  the  lines  again  muffled  his  boots, 
and  he  walked  along  fast,  feeling  confident  that  he  should 
get  through  unobserved.  He  was  walking  close  to  the  road, 
and  was  within  four  or  five  hundred  yards  of  the  kopjes, 
when  he  took  to  it  again,  as  there  were  some  clumps  of 
bushes  in  front  of  him.  Suddenly  he  fell  on  his  face  with  a 
crash,  his  foot  having1  caught  against  a  wire  stretched  tightly 
some  six  inches  above  the  ground.  Before  he  could  spring 
to  his  feet  a  dozen  men  rushed  out  from  the  bushes  and 
seized  him. 

"  Eun,  Peter,  run !  "  he  shouted,  and  then  said  as  the  Boerg 
raised  him  to  his  feet,  "I  surrender." 

Several  of  them  raised  their  rifles  and  faced  towards  the 
road  by  which  he  had  come,  thinking  that  he  might  be 
followed  by  a  strong  force.  After  waiting  for  three  or  four 
minutes  two  of  them  ran  forward  cautiously,  but  returned  in 
five  minutes,  saying  that  there  was  no  sign  of  any  one  there. 

"  But  this  man  shouted  to  someone.  Whom  did  you  shout 
to?"  he  asked  Yorke  roughly. 

Yorke  shook  his  head.  He  thought  it  best  to  profess 
ignorance  of  Dutch.  The  man  repeated  the  question  in 
English. 

"  It  was  a  Kaffir,"  Yorke  answered.    "  He  was  coming  to 


170  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

show  me  the  way  across  the  country  when  we  had  passed 
through  your  lines." 

"  You  are  a  spy,  then,"  the  man  said  fiercely. 

"Not  at  all,"  Yorke  replied.  "If  it  were  daylight  you 
could  see  by  my  uniform  that  I  am  an  English  officer.  If  I 
had  come  as  a  spy  I  should  have  disguised  myself.  But  I 
preferred  coming  in  uniform,  so  that  if  I  were  captured  I 
should  have  a  right  to  be  treated  as  a  prisoner  of  war." 

"That  is  for  the  field  cornet  to  decide,"  the  man  said 
grimly.  "  Now,  come  along  with  us." 


CHAPTER  X 

AN    ESCAPE 

HAVING  relieved  him  of  his  rifle  and  bandolier,  the  Boers 
led  Yorke  with  them  along 'the  road  until  they  had 
passed  the  kopje,  and  then  turned  off  to  the  left  and  took 
him  to  where  several  fires  were  burning  at  the  back  of  the 
hill.  A  strong  party  of  Boers  were  sitting  round,  some 
smoking,  others  eating  their  supper. 

"Whom  have  you  got  there,  le  Clus?"  enquired  one  of 
them  with  a  white  cockade  in  his  hat. 

"He  says  that  he  is  a  British  officer,  mynheer.  He  was 
coming  along  the  road  when  he  tumbled  over  our  wire,  and 
we  had  him  in  a  moment." 

"  He  was  walking  along  the  road,  was  he  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Then  he  hardly  can  have  been  sent  to  spy  out  our  position 
and  strength,"  the  man  said.  "  If  he  had  been,  he  would  not 
have  kept  to  the  road.  Why,  he  is  quite  a  boy ! " 

"  He  says  he  is  not  a  spy,  mynheer,  but  has  been  sent  out 
to  carry  a  message  to  the  British  on  the  Modder.  He  claims 
to  be  in  uniform,  and  so  to  be  treated  as  a  prisoner  of  war." 


A   STRONG   PAKTY   OF   BOEKS   WERE    SITTING   KOTJND,    SOME 
SMOKING,    OTHERS   EATING   THEIR   SUPPER. 


AN  ESCAPE  171 

The  conversation  had  been  in  Dutch,  and  the  field  cornet 
now  said  in  English  to  the  prisoner,  "  Have  you  any  papers 
ahout  you?" 

"  I  have  only  this  little  scrap,"  Yorke  said.  "  It  is  written 
in  a  cipher,  and  I  suppose  the  English  general  will  under- 
stand. It  is  only  a  lot  of  figures." 

The  Boer  opened  it  and  held  it  so  that  the  light  of  the  fires 
should  fall  upon  it.  "  3104,  8660,  241.  It  is  like  that  all  the 
way  down.  Do  you  understand  the  cipher  ?  n  he  asked. 

"  As  it  is  a  military  cipher,  it  is  only  the  generals  who 
would  know  it.  These  things  are  kept  very  secret,  and  no 
cipher  would  be  told  to  a  young  officer  like  myself." 

"  Why  should  they  choose  you  to  carry  it  ?  " 

"I  can  only  suppose,"  Yorke  said  with  a  smile,  "because 
they  thought  that  I  could  be  better  spared  than  older  officers. 
Besides,  I  am  a  good  runner,  and  would  bet  that  if  I  had 
twenty  yards  start  none  of  your  men  would  overtake  me." 

"  Perhaps  not,  my  lad,  but  a  rifle  bullet  would  travel  faster 
than  you." 

There  was  a  laugh  among  the  Boers  standing  round, 
which  was  what  Yorke  had  aimed  at,  knowing  the  importance 
of  keeping  them  in  good  temper. 

"  Well,  in  the  morning  I  shall  send  you  on  to  Boshof ,"  the 
field  cornet  said.  "  I  do  not  know  anything  of  the  usages  of 
war,  and  whether  your  uniform  will  save  your  skin  or  not;  I 
will  leave  it  to  others  to  settle.  But  you  must  be  a  bold 
young  fellow  to  have  undertaken  such  a  job,  for  it  is  ridicu- 
lous to  suppose  that  you  could  get  through  in  that  uniform, 
and  you  would  probably  be  shot  by  the  first  of  our  men  you 
met  without  his  stopping1  to  ask  any  questions.  Will  you 
give  me  your  word  that  you  will  not  try  to  escape  to-night? 
If  so,  I  will  not  tie  you  up." 

Two  or  three  of  the  men  grumbled.  "  I  know  these  English 
officers/^  he  said,  "  and  am  willing  to  take  his  word.  Still, 
"to  prevent  any  risks,  two  of  you  must  take  it  by  turns  to 
watch  him." 


172  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Yorke  looked  indifferent  till  he  spoke  to  him  in  English, 
and  then  said,  "  I  will  give  you  my  word  of  honour,  sir,  not 
to  attempt  to  escape  to-night,  but  I  don't  say  that  if  I  can 
get  a  chance  afterwards  I  won't  do  so." 

"  That  is  all  right.  I  don't  think  you  will  get  a  chance. 
At  any  rate,  I  accept  your  word  that  you  will  remain  here 
quietly  all  night." 

So  saying,  he  reseated  himself  hy  the  fire  and  began  to 
puff  at  his  pipe.  Yorke  thought  it  would  be  best  to  imitate 
his  example.  He  had,  when  at  the  farm,  taken  to  smoking 
occasionally;  he  did  it  in  self-defence,  for  sometimes,  when 
there  were  several  Dutch  visitors,  the  room  was  so  full  of 
smoke  that  he  could  scarcely  breathe  in  it.  He  therefore  took 
out  his  pipe,  filled  and  lit  it,  and  sat  quietly  down  near  the 
field  cornet.  He  then  took  from  his  pocket  a  flask,  which 
had  been  filled  for  him  at  the  mess  with  whiskey,  and  handed 
it  to  the  cornet.  The  Boer's  eyes  twinkled,  and  he  took  a 
long  draught  of  it. 

"  That  is  good  stuff,"  he  said,  "  a  good  deal  better  than  they 
sell  us  at  your  stores." 

"Please  pass  it  round,  cornet.  I  am  afraid  it  won't  go 
very  far,  but  you  are  heartily  welcome  to  it.  I  don't  drink 
it  myself,  but  I  generally  carry  it  in  case  I  should  get  hurt 
anyhow,  or  sprain  my  ankle  among  your  rocks.  I  may  as 
well  hand  you  this  pistol  too,"  Yorke  said — it  had  been 
unnoticed  in  the  dark  by  the  men  who  had  taken  his  rifle — 
"it  is  certain  that  your  people  will  not  let  me  keep  it,  and 
you  may  as  well  have  it  as  another ;  but  I  do  not  suppose  your 
cartridges  will  fit  it."  He  had  dropped  his  own  on  the 
way. 

"As  you  say,  I  may  as  well  have  it  as  another,"  the  field 
cornet  said  taking  it.  "Besides,  it  might  go  off  by  the  way, 
and  it  is  well  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  accidents.  Now,  as 
you  have  given  me  your  word  of  honour  that  you  will  not  try 
to  escape  to-night,  will  you  assure  me,  on  your  word  of 


AN  ESCAPE  173 

honour,  that  you  have  not  come  out  to  gather  information 
— in  fact,  that  you  are  not  a  spy  ? " 

"  Willingly,  sir.  I  give  you  my  word  of  honour  that  I  am 
not  sent  out  on  any  such  mission.  I  was  simply  told  to  make 
my  way  to  the  Modder,  and,  so  far  from  trying  to  make  out 
your  arrangements,  my  great  object  was  to  try  to  avoid 
coming  near  any  of  you." 

"  What  he  says  is  true,  I  am  certain,"  the  Boer  said  in 
Dutch  to  his  companions.  "  I  am  sure  hy  his  face  that  he 
is  not  lying1.  It  is  a  shame  to  have  sent  a  lad  like  this  on 
such  an  errand.  However,  I  will  send  a  strong  letter  with 
him  in  the  morning  to  the  commandant  at  Boshof,  and 
assure  him  that  there  is  no  question  whatever  that  this 
young  officer's  story  is  true,  and  that  he  is  entitled  to  be 
treated  as  a  prisoner  of  war.  We  have  not  gone  into  this 
fight  in  order  to  kill  as  many  Englishmen  as  possible,  but 
because  we  want  to  help  our  friends  of  the  Transvaal  to 
keep  their  independence;  and  I  for  one  hope  that  there  will 
be  no  more  bloodshed  than  necessary.  Young  fellows  like 
this  simply  do  what  they  are  ordered,  just  as  we  do. 

"  Of  course  we  both  do  our  best  when  we  are  fighting. 
Certainly  we  have  no  ground  for  animosity  against  England; 
she  has  always  kept  her  engagements  with  us,  and  we  have 
been  just  as  independent  as  if  there  were  no  one  in  South 
Africa  but  ourselves.  We  have  always  been  good  friends 
with  the  English  who  live  among  us.  Once  it  comes  to 
killing  spies  they  could  kill  a  hundred  of  our  men  to  every 
one  we  could  kill.  We  know  everything1  that  passes  in  Natal 
or  Cape  Colony  from  our  friends  there,  and  it  is  only  natural 
that  they  should  want  to  know  what  is  passing  among  us. 
If  we  shoot  a  man  on  the  ground  that  he  is  a  spy,  they  may 
shoot  hundreds  of  Dutch,  who  are  sending  us  news  from 
among  them.  We  have  not  heard  of  their  shooting  one;  and 
I  say  if  we  find  an  Englishman  doing  what  so  many  of 
our  men  are  doing  let  us  stop  his  work  by  imprisoning 


174  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

him  until  the  war  is  over.  If  the  Transvaalers  like  to  act 
differently  we  cannot  help  it.  They  hate  the  English.  Why, 
I  don't  know,  for  they  have  all  got  rich  at  their  expense. 
Still,  they  do  hate  them. 

"  Before  this  began  I  was  as  good  friends  with  my  English 
neighbours  as  I  was  with  my  own  people,  and  I  see  no 
reason  for  any  change.  They  are  not  fighting  us;  it  is  we 
who  are  fighting  them.  I  don't  say  that  Steyn  was  wrong  in 
joining  our  kinsmen  across  the  Vaal;  that  is  his  business 
and  that  of  the  men  we  elected.  Anyhow,  we  are  bound  by 
them;  we  and  the  Rooineks  have  got  to  shoot  each  other  till 
one  of  us  gives  in.  I  am  sure  we  shall  all  do  our  best  to 
win.  We  have  shown  them  that  we  can  fight,  and  they 
have  shown  us  that  they  can  fight;  but  when  it  comes  to 
shooting  in  cold  blood  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  In 
the  first  place,  because  I  call  it  murder;  and  in  the  second, 
because  where  the  English  have  got  one  man  sending  them 
information  from  our  side,  we  have  got  a  thousand  doing  the 
same  from  theirs.  We  should  be  fools  indeed  if  we  were  to 
set  an  example  and  take  one  life,  for  our  action  might  entail 
the  shooting  of  all  our  friends  in  the  colonies." 

"  There  is  a  good  deal  in  what  you  say,  mynheer,"  one  of 
the  others  agreed,  "  and  I  am  sure  you  are  right.  For  my 
part,  when  I  see  our  shell  bursting  in  there,  I  often  say  to 
myself,  '  It  is  the  women  and  children  that  are  suffering  from 
this.'  Let  us  fire  at  their  forts — though  I  don't  see  that  that 
does  much  good — but  leave  the  peaceful  people  alone;  they 
won't  give  in  because  a  few  hundred  women  are  killed.  It 
does  not  seem  as  if  we  should  take  the  town  by  force.  At 
any  rate,  we  have  made  no  attempt  to  do  so  at  present,  and 
are  not  likely  to.  We  shall  starve  them  into  surrender,  and 
might  just  as  well  leave  them  alone  till  they  have  eaten  their 
last  crust.  For  my  part,  I  think  we  ought  to  have  made  a 
rush  and  finished  the  business  directly  we  got  here.  We 
should  have  lost  a  good  many  men,  but  that  would  have  been 
the  end  of  it.  The  end  will  come  just  the  same,  but  we  shall 


AN  ESCAPE  175 

have  killed  many  women  and  children  and  some  soldiers, 
and  we  shall  have  lost  in  the  long  run  as  many  as  we  should 
have  done  if  we  had  attacked  the  place  before  they  had 
time  to  build  their  forts  and  prepare  for  us." 

"  I  don't  see  the  use  of  keeping  up  this  fire  myself,  Isaak," 
the  field  cornet  said;  "but  again,  that  is  not  my  business, 
my  orders  are  to  hold  this  kopje,  and  I  mean  to  do  so.  My 
heart  aches  whenever  I  see  a  shell  burst  in  the  middle  of 
the  town,  but  our  commandant  has  got  to  account  for  that, 
not  I.  It  is  time  now  for  the  men  on  the  hill  to  be  relieved, 
and  let  the  next  two  to  go  on  guard  duty  get  their  rifles, 
and  keep  watch  over  this  lad.  I  have  no  fear  of  his  trying 
to  escape ;  but  you  say  he  had  another  with  him,  for  all  that 
we  know  there  may  have  been  three  or  four,  and  they  may 
try  to  crawl  in  and  get  him  off." 

The  idea  that  Peter  might  attempt  this  had  already 
occurred  to  Yorke,  and  he  sincerely  hoped  that  the  Kaffir 
would  not  do  so.  One  of  the  men  brought  an  armful  of  straw 
and  put  it  down  for  him  between  two  rocks.  Here  he  lay 
down.  The  two  men  told  off  sat  themselves  on  the  ground 
in  front  of  him  after  lighting  their  pipes,  and  in  a  short 
time  all  was  quiet.  Yorke  soon  went  off  to  sleep.  In  the 
middle  of  the  night  he  was  startled  by  one  of  his  guards 
leaping  to  his  feet  and  shouting  "  Who's  there  ? " 

"What  is  it,  Jans?"  the  other  said.. 

"I  heard  the  rattle  of  a  stone  over  there  on  the  right;" 
and  he  again  challenged. 

No  answer  came. 

"It  was  only  a  hare,"  the  other  grumbled.  "Don't  fire, 
Jans,  whatever  you  do.  We  shall  be  rousing  everybody,  and 
a  nice  temper  they  would  be  in  with  you  for  disturbing 
them." 

"I  don't  believe  it  was  a  hare,"  the  other  said!  "It 
sounded  like  a  rock  that  had  shifted  its  place  when  someone 
trod  on  it.  It  was  too  big  a  stone  to  move  with  the  weight 
of  a  hare.  Well,  if  I  hear  anything  else  I  will  send  a  bullet 


176  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

in  that  direction,  whether  it  wakes  the  camp  or  not.  You 
heard  what  the  field  cornet  said.  Someone  may  be  trying 
to  get  in  to  help  this  lad  to  escape." 

Yorke  lay  awake  for  some  time,  and  then,  as  everything 
remained  quiet,  he  went  off  to  sleep  again.  In  the  morning 
he  breakfasted  with  the  field  cornet,  and  had  a  bowl  of  cocoa 
and  milk,  with  bread  broken  into  it. 

"  Now,"  the  latter  said  when  he  had  finished,  "  I  must  send 
you  on  to  Boshof.  If  I  could  have  my  own  way,  lad,  I  would 
send  you  back  into  the  town,  and  you  could  tell  them  there 
that  we  are  keeping  a  sharp  look-out,  and  that  it  is  of  no  use 
any  one  trying  to  get  through.  But  I  can't  do  that;  I 
must  send  you  off  to  Boshof.  Four  of  my  men  have  to  go 
there  to  buy  provisions,  and  they  will  look  after  you.  I  have 
written  a  letter  to  the  commandant,  and  hope  that  he  will 
treat  you  well.  They  won't  be  starting  until  this  afternoon, 
as  they  will  sleep  there  and  come  back  in  the  morning.  Of 
course  they  will  ride,  and  you  can  have  one  of  my  ponies. 
Mind,"  he  went  on  with  a  smile,  "  it  will  be  the  slowest  of  the 
lot  I  have,  for  your  promise  not  to  escape  expired  this  morn- 
ing. The  four  men  will  all  be  on  better  ponies  than  yours,  so 
it  will  be  of  no  use  your  trying  to  get  off." 

"I  sha'n't  try,"  Yorke  laughed;  "even  if  they  could  not 
overtake  me,  they  could  shoot  my  pony.  I  don't  want  to 
be  made  a  target  for  four  of  your  rifles.  My  chance  has 
not  arrived  yet.  "When  it  does,  I  shall  take  it." 

At  three  o'clock  the  party  started,  the  field  cornet  shaking 
hands  warmly  with  Yorke,  and  saying  as  he  mounted :  "  I  am 
sorry  we  caught  you,  lad.  You  could  have  done  us  no  harm 
if  you  had  got  round  to  your  people  at  the  Modder.  Though, 
perhaps,  you  are  lucky  in  not  being  able  to  get  farther,  for 
you  might  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Transvaalers,  and,  al- 
though they  are  our  friends,  I  must  acknowledge  that  they 
are  a  pretty  rough  lot." 

"I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  kindness,  for 


AN  ESCAPE  177 

you  have  treated  me  as  well  as  our  men  would  have  treated 
you  if  you  had  fallen  into  their  hands." 

A  minute  later  he  was  riding  along  the  road  with  two  of 
the  Boers  on  each  side  of  him.  The  distance  was  some  five- 
and-twenty  miles,  and,  sometimes  walking,  sometimes 
cantering,  they  reached  the  town  between  six  and  seven. 
Yorke  had  chatted  cheerfully  to  one  of  his  guards,  who  spoke 
English,  feeling  apparently  but  little  anxiety  as  to  his 
position. 

"  Where  do  you  suppose  they  will  send  me  ? "  he  asked. 

"  The  orders  are  to  send  all  prisoners  to  Pretoria;  but 
most  likely,  in  the  first  place,  they  will  send  you  to  Bloem- 
fontein,  and  from  there  you  can  be  taken  up  by  rail.  All 
the  prisoners  taken  in  Natal  are  sent  up  that  way — not,  of 
course,  through  Bloemfontein,  but  by  the  line  through 
Standerton.  I  don't  suppose  you  will  be  there  very  long", 
for,  of  course,  as  soon  as  we  have  driven  all  your  soldiers 
out  of  the  country,  we  shall  send  the  prisoners  after  them." 

"Don't  count  your  chickens  before  they  are  hatched," 
Yorke  laughed.  "  The  war  has  been  going  on  two  months, 
and  you  have  not  done  much  towards  it  yet." 

"  No,"  one  of  the  guard  admitted,  "  but  we  have  killed 
thousands  and  thousands  of  your  troops  in  Natal,  and  we 
shall  finish  with  those  on  the  Modder  directly  they  advance 
again.  All  our  people  in  Cape  Colony  are  only  waiting  for 
orders,  when  they  will  rise  to  a  man.  We  are  expecting  every 
day  to  hear  that  Ladysmith  has  fallen.  Then  Joubert  will 
drive  your  people  to  take  to  their  ships  at  Durban.  We  shall 
leave  enough  men  here  to  starve  your  garrison,  and  shall 
then  march  to  Cape  Town  with  the  Trans vaalers.  We  don't 
expect  any  fighting  on  the  way,  because  our  people  will  have 
risen  and  captured  the  place  long  before  we  arrive  there." 

"  It  all  sounds  easy  enough,  doesn't  it  ?  But  at  present  you 
see,  you  have  not  taken  Ladysmith;  you  have  not  defeated 
Buller's  army;  you  have  not  starved  Kimberley;  you  have 

(M839)  M 


178  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

not  even  taken  Mafeking;  and  the  Dutch  in  Cape  Colony 
have  not  risen.  When  all  these  things  have  happened,  you 
may  find  it  clear  sailing.  But  you  must  remember  that,  al- 
though you  were  all  prepared  for  war,  Britain  was  not.  At 
present  we  have  not  more  than  fifty  thousand  men  here, 
and  you  have  found  it  difficult  to  deal  with  them.  She 
could  send,  and  will  send,  if  necessary,  five  hundred  thousand 
more." 

"That  would  be  a  big  lot,"  the  Boer  said  doubtfully; 
"but  with  the  Dutch  in  Cape  Colony  we  should  not  be 
afraid  of  them." 

"  Well,  you  have  seen  that  they  can  fight,  anyhow,"  Yorke 
said.  "  You  have  the  advantage  in  all  being  mounted,  and 
in  the  nature  of  the  country;  that  is  all  in  your  favour  while 
we  are  attacking  you,  but  it  would  be  in  our  favour  were  you 
attacking  us.  Besides,  I  don't  see  what  you  men  of  the 
Free  State  have  to  do  with  it.  If  we  were  driven  out,  and 
you  had  a  republic,  Kruger  would  be  president,  and  the 
Transvaal  the  master.  You  were  a  great  deal  better  off 
as  you  were.  You  know,  everyone  knows,  how  hard  their 
government  is.  Kruger  and  his  people  would  keep  all  the 
riches  for  themselves.  Do  you  think  that  you  would  get  a 
higher  price  for  your  cattle,  and  would  be  in  any  way  better 
off  for  the  change? 

"I  think  that  you  would  not;  there  would  be  monopolies 
of  everything,  as  in  the  Transvaal.  You  would  have  to  pay 
twice  as  much  for  the  goods  you  wanted  to  buy  as  you  do 
now.  Perhaps  you  do  not  know  the  story  of  the  monkey 
who  took  a  cat  and  made  it  pull  the  chestnuts  out  of  the 
fire  for  him.  Well,  I  think  that  if  you  drive  us  out  of 
South  Africa,  you  will  find  that  the  Transvaal  would  be  the 
monkey,  and  the  Free  State  the  cat.  If  we  win,  which  is 
possible,  unlikely  as  it  seems  to  you,  you  will  certainly  lose 
your  independence,  for,  without  a  shadow  of  cause  of  com- 
plaint, you  have  wantonly  taken  up  arms  against  us.  You 
will  have  lost  a  great  number  of  lives,  and  be  worse  off  than 


AN  ESCAPE  179 

you  were  at  the  beginning,  though  nothing  like  so  badly  off 
as  if  you  had  been  under  Kruger.  You  know  very  well  that 
under  our  rule  the  Dutch  in  Cape  Colony  have  nothing  to 
complain  of.  The  government  are  Dutch,  the  Dutch  have 
as  free  a  voice  as  the  English  in  electing  their  assembly 
and  making  their  own  laws;  and  we  may  be  sure  that  were 
the  Free  State  annexed,  you  would,  after  a  time,  be  as  free  as 
are  the  Dutch  in  our  colony." 

"  It  is  a  bad  business,"  one  of  the  men  said.  "  I  wish 
Steyn  and  Eeitz  had  been  anywhere  before  they  dragged 
us  into  it.  However,  now  we  are  in  it,  we  have  got  to  go 
through  with  it,  but  I  can  tell  you  a  good  many  of  us 
would  not  have  come  out  on  commando  but  that  we  had  to 
choose  between  doing  so  and  being  shct.  Well,  I  hope  that 
it  will  soon  be  over  one  way  or  other,  and  that  I  can  get  back 
to  my  farm." 

"  Who  is  commandant  at  Boshof  ?  Is  he  a  Transvaaler  or 
a  Free  Stater?" 

"  One  of  our  people.  He  is  a  good  man,  and  is  a  brother- 
in-law  of  our  field  cornet.  Most  of  us  are  Free  State  men 
about  here.  Many  of  those  round  Kimberley,  and  two- 
thirds  of  those  at  Spytfontein,  are  Transvaalers,  but  the 
main  part  of  their  force  is  in  Natal." 

Then  the  subject  of  the  conversation  was  changed.  The 
Boers  asked  many  questions  about  Britain,  showing  astound- 
ing ignorance  of  its  distance  from  the  Cape,  and  the 
population. 

"  But  Russia,  Germany  and  France  are  all  going  to  invade 
Britain,"  the  Boer  said,  "  and  I  hear  that  they  are  going 
to  divide  it  between  them;  so  what  you  say  about  so  many 
troops  coming  over  here  is  all  nonsense." 

Yorke  laughed.  "  There  is  no  more  chance  of  those  three 
countries  combining  against  us  than  there  is  of  their  flying; 
but  if  they  did,  we  should  not  be  afraid  of  them." 

"Why,  I  hear  that  they  have  all  got  very  much  bigger 
armies  than  you  have." 


180  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"That  is  true  enough;  but  our  navy  is  larger  than  all 
theirs  put  together,  and  they  would  have  to  thrash  that 
before  they  could  do  anything." 

"  Why  couldn't  they  march  their  armies  into  England  and 
leave  your  fleet  alone  ? " 

"Because  Britain  is  an  island,  and  there  are  more  than 
twenty  miles  between  it  and  the  nearest  point  of  France;  so 
that  as  long  as  our  fleet  is  master  of  the  sea,  they  can  do 
nothing.  Even  if  they  did  beat  our  fleet,  they  would  have 
to  get  ships  to  cross  in.  It  requires  a  tremendous  number  of 
ships  to  carry  a  big  army  with  horses,  artillery,  and  stores. 
All  the  ships  of  France  collected  at  one  spot  could  not  carry 
an  army  across  capable  of  beating  ours.  Russia  has  prac- 
tically no  ships  at  all,  so  her  troops  could  do  nothing;  and 
at  the  worst,  although  Germany  could  send  more  men  over 
than  France,  there  is  no  need  to  fear  her,  for  she  would 
never  join  France  and  Russia  against  us.  She  is  not  good 
friends  with  France,  and  not  very  good  friends  with  Russia; 
and  if  Britain  were  conquered,  France  and  Russia  would 
next  turn  their  attention  to  her.  Russia  and  France  might 
join  against  us.  Russia  could  do  us  no  harm  in  Europe,  and 
could  not  aid  France  in  any  way  except  by  attacking  us  in 
India.  So  practically,  France  is  the  only  power  that 
could,  if  she  wanted  to,  help  you.  And  as  we  could  smash  her 
fleet  up  in  a  month  after  war  began,  she  would  have  nothing 
to  gain  and  everything  to  lose  by  siding1  with  you.  At 
present,  however,  she  has  not  the  slightest  idea  of  doing 
anything  of  the  sort.  It  is  nothing  to  her  whether  the  Trans- 
vaal is  independent  or  not.  She  has  large  Interests  in  the 
gold-mines,  and  would  lose  a  great  deal  of  money  if  the 
Boers  were  successful." 

"We  have  Frenchmen  fighting  for  us,  and  Germans." 

"  No  doubt  you  have ;  but  in  every  country  there  are  a 
certain  number  of  people  ready  to  fight  anywhere,  if  they 
are  paid  for  what  they  do.  The  sort  of  men  who  are  fight- 
ing for  you,  would  rob  your  farms  just  as  readily  as  they 


AN  ESCAPE  181 

are  robbing  the  farms  of  British  settlers;  they  are  the  scum 
of  France  and  Germany,  and  will  be  a  source  of  more 
trouble  than  advantage  to  you.  Don't  build  your  hopes  on 
foreign  assistance,  you  have  yourselves  to  depend  upon  and 
yourselves  only.  As  long  as  Kruger  can  lay  his  hand  on 
all  the  gold  from  the  mines,  he  can  buy  men  and  guns  from 
Europe;  but  that  won't  last,  for  most  of  the  miners  have 
gone,  and  once  we  take  Johannesburg  there  is  an  end  to 
that." 

"You  will  never  do  that." 

"That  is  for  the  future  to  show,"  Yorke  said.  "You 
thought  that  we  should  never  cross  the  Modder,  but  we  have 
done  it.  You  thought  that  you  were  g'oing  to  march  to 
Durban  a  fortnight  after  the  war  began,  but  you  have  not 
done  it.  You  thought  that  you  were  going  to  take  Lady- 
smith,  Kimberley,  and  Mafeking  in  a  week,  but  you  have 
done  none  of  these  things  yet.  So  you  see  the  unexpected 
happens  sometimes;  and  my  opinion,  though,  I  may  be 
wrong,  is  that  in  three  months  we  shall  be  at  Johannesburg. 
But  we  have  an  old  saying  in  England,  'May  difference  of 
opinion,  never  alter  friendship/  and  there  is  no  reason  why 
we  should  not  each  enjoy  our  own  opinion  without  quarrel- 
ling about  it.  You  and  the  British  have  always  been  good 
friends  and  have  got  on  comfortably,  and  there  is  no  reason 
why  you  should  not  do  so  again,  when  these  troubles  are 
over." 

On  arriving  at  Boshof,  they  found  that  the  commandant 
had  ridden  over  to  his  farm,  five-and-twenty  miles  away,  and 
would  not  be  back  until  eight  or  nine  o'clock.  The  place 
was  about  the  usual  size  of  country  towns  in  the  Free  State. 
It  contained  a  church,  a  town-hall,  a  school,  and  perhaps  two 
hundred  houses.  The  inhabitants  speedily  gathered  as  the 
party  rode  in,  eagerly  asking  for  news  as  to  the  progress  of 
the  siege.  Some  of  the  men  looked  sullenly  and  threaten- 
ingly at  Yorke,  but  for  the  most  part  little  animosity  was 
evinced,  many  of  the  women  even  looked  with  pity  towards 


182  WITH  ROBEETS  TO  PRETORIA 

him.  Among  the  population  the  war  was  regarded  as  prac- 
tically over,  for  they  had  been  told  that  Buller's  army  had 
been  annihilated  and  that  tremendous  losses  had  been  in- 
flicted upon  Methuen,  with  only  about  half  a  dozen  casualties 
among  their  own  men,  and  had  heard  that  the  capture  of 
Britain  herself  by  Russia,  if  not  already  accomplished,  was 
but  a  matter  of  days.  They  were  a  little  puzzled  why  Kim- 
berley  had  not  yet  fallen,  but  were  confident  that  the  final 
attack  upon  it  was  only  deferred  until  Methuen's  army  was 
annihilated. 

Here  was  a  specimen  of  the  men  with  whom  their  own  big 
and  brawny  relatives  had  to  fight — a  mere  lad,  without  a 
hair  on  his  face,  who  ought  to  be  at  home  with  his  mother. 
No  wonder  the  Boers  had  gained  such  magnificent  victories. 
It  was  nothing  short  of  madness  that  such  soldiers  should  be 
sent  to  fight  against  the  invincible  champions  of  the  country. 
It  was  not  their  fault,  poor  fellows,  for  had  not  authentic 
reports  reached  the  town  showing  how  the  British  soldiers 
had  had  to  be  ironed  and  intoxicated  before  they  could  be 
got  on  board  a  ship,  and  how  many  had  cried  like  children 
at  being  compelled  to  fight  so  far  away  from  home.  There- 
fore, when  Yorke  was  lodged  in  the  lock-up  of  the  town,  one 
woman  brought  a  bowl  of  milk  to  the  barred  window, 
another  some  fruit,  and  a  third  a  plate  of  meat  and  some 
bread,  for  they  believed  that,  having  come  from  Kimberley, 
he  must  be  in  a  state  of  starvation,  while  many  said  a 
word  or  two  of  pity  and  consolation.  Although  he  pretended 
not  to  understand  their  words,  Yorke  was  touched  and  at  the 
same  time  amused  by  their  comments. 

"Poor  young  fellow,"  one  said,  "I  don't  suppose  he  is 
much  younger  than  my  Paul,  though  he  is  not  half  his  size; 
they  must  be  very  hard  up  for  soldiers  when  they  take  a 
lad  like  this." 

"  The  men  who  brought  him  in  said  that  he  was  an  officer," 
one  of  them  said. 

"  An  officer ! "  the  other  repeated  in  surprise,  "  no  won- 


AN  ESCAPE  183 

der  we  beat  them  so  easily,  when  they  have  hoys  like  that  as 
officers.  Why,  all  our  field  cornets  and  officers  are  big  men 
and  the  wisest  in  their  districts;  what  chance  could  such  a 
lad  have  against  them?  And  if  this  is  an  officer,  what  must 
the  soldiers  be  like?" 

Several  times  the  two  men  on  guard  outside  the  door  told 
the  women  to  go  away,  but  they  soon  returned. 

"  I  wonder  what  has  become  of  Peter,"  Yorke  thought  to 
himself.  "  I  expect  he  was  on  the  look-out  somewhere  among 
the  rocks  this  morning,  and  waited  there  till  he  saw  me  ride 
by.  He  would  know  that  he  could  do  nothing  against  four 
mounted  men.  I  hope  that  by  this  time  he  is  well  on  his 
way  towards  the  Modder.  As  they  say  the  landdrost  here  is  a 
good  fellow,  and  a  brother-in-law  of  my  friend  of  last  night, 
I  don't  think  there  is  any  chance  of  harsh  treatment ;  and  by 
the  time  I  have  gone  another  stage  all  questions  about  my 
being  a  spy  will  have  died  out,  and  it  will  be  supposed  that 
I  was  captured  in  a  sortie  or  something  of  that  sort." 

At  nine  o'clock  the  key  grated  in  the  lock,  and,  the  door 
opening,  the  two  Boers  on  guard  told  him  to  follow  them. 
He  was  conducted  to  a  small  room,  where  the  landdrost  and 
two  or  three  of  his  friends  were  seated. 

"  So  you  brought  this  man  here  prisoner ;  you  caught  him 
trying  to  get  out  of  Kimberley?  I  hear  you  have  a  letter 
for  me  ? " 

"  Yes,  mynheer,  here  it  is !  " 

He  read  it  through  and  then  passed  it  to  his  companions. 

"A  young  chap  trying  to  carry  a  despatch,"  he  said, 
"walked  right  into  the  arms  of  Odental's  men.  He  had  no 
time  to  make  resistance — not  that  it  would  have  done  him 
any  good.  There  is  evidently  nothing  to  do  but  to  send  him 
to  Pretoria." 

"  You  feel  sure  that  he  .is  not  a  spy,  landdrost  ? " 

"  As  if  people  would  send  out  a  lad  like  that  as  a  spy !  He 
is  evidently  just  fresh  from  England.  What  could  he  want 
to  spy  about?  The  people  in  Kimberley  can  see  for  them- 


184  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

selves  where  our  forts  are;  if  they  wanted  to  send  out  a 
spy  they  would  have  chosen  somebody  who  could  speak 
Dutch.  Besides,  he  has  got  his  uniform  on,  the  first  Dutch- 
man he  met  would  have  made  him  prisoner.  You  need  not 
wait  any  longer,"  he  went  on  to  the  men  who  had  brought 
Yorke  in,  "I  will  give  you  a  letter  in  the  morning  to  my 
brother.  Now,  sit  down,  young  fellow,  and  tell  us  who  you 
are,  and  how  you  came  to  undertake  this  business.  How 
long  have  you  been  out  from  England  ? " 

"  Seven  or  eight  months." 

"I  suppose  you  were  with  your  regiment  at  Cape  Town? 

"  I  joined  it  there,"  Yorke  said,  "  but  I  did  not  come  up 
the  country  with  it.    I  am  a  good  runner  and  a  fair  rider, 
so  I  volunteered  to  come  up  to  Kimberley.     As  the  war 
seemed  likely  to  last  some  time,  and  I  wanted  to  join  my 
regiment,  I  got  leave  from  the  commandant  there  to  make 
off,  and,  as  Field  Cornet  Odental  no   doubt  told  you, 
entrusted  me  with  a  despatch;  this  I  gave  to  the  field  corne 
as  I  knew  that  I  should  be  searched ;  besides,  it  was  necessai 
to  show  that  I  was  going  out  on  military  business,  and  not 
a  spy.     But  it  contained  only  a  number  of  figures,  whi< 
may  have  referred  to  certain  words  in  a  book,  or  been 
military     cipher,     that     no     one     but    the     writer     coul 
understand." 

"  They  would  be  sure  to  write  in  cipher,"  the  landdrc 
said;  "it  would  not  have  been  safe  to  send  a  message  that 
we  could  read,  if  we  caught  you." 

The  landdrost  had  been  warm  when  he  returned  from  hirf 
ride  and  had  thrown  up  the  window.  Suddenly  a  rifle  was 
thrust  in,  and  a  voice  in  Dutch  called  out,  "Hold  up  your 
arms  or  we  shoot!" 

The  men,  astounded  at  his  sudden  threat,  did  as  they 
were  ordered. 

"Gentlemen,"  Yorke  said  quietly,  "I  suppose  that  some 
of  my  friends  have  heard  of  my  capture,  and  that  a  party 


AN  ESCAPE  185 

has  got  through.  I  am  heartily  obliged  to  you  for  your 
kindness,  landdrost,  and  I  only  leave  you  because  the  journey 
back  from  here  is  a  good  deal  shorter  than  it  would  be 
from  Pretoria.  I  will  take  your  guns  for  the  present,  but 
you  will  find  four  of  them  outside  after  I  have  gone;  the 
other  I  may  want  on  the  journey.  Good-evening!"  And 
taking  the  five  guns  from  the  corner  in  which  they  were 
placed,  he  carried  them  out,  shut  the  door,  and  turned  the 
key.  He  paused  a  moment  outside,  extracted  the  cartridges 
from  four  of  them,  removed  the  bolts  and  put  them  in  his 
pocket ;  the  other,  and  a  bandolier,  he  slung  over  his  shoulder. 

"  Thank  you,  men,  he  said  in  a  loud  voice.  "  Now,  then, 
I  will  shut  the  window  down.  One  man  had  better  stand  on 
each  side  of  it,  and  if  anyone  attempts  to  open  it  or  come 
out,  put  a  bullet  in  his  head." 

He  then  closed  the  window.  He  did  this  because,  had 
Peter  stepped  forward  to  do  it,  the  Boers  would  have  seen 
that  he  was  a  Kaffir.  As  soon  as  he  had  done  it  he  said, 
"Thank  you,  Peter.  Now,  which  way?" 

"  Round  the  corner  of  the  next  house,  baas.  Now,  you 
follow  me.  I  know  all  the  streets.  No  fear  of  my  tumbling 
over  wire ;  "  and  he  laughed.  They  started  at  full  speed,  took 
several  turnings,  and  in  three  minutes  were  outside  the 
town.  Before  they  got  there,  however,  they  heard  a  loud 
shouting. 

"  They  have  gone  to  a  back  window,  or  perhaps  to  one 
upstairs.  They  would  be  sure  to  think  of  that  when  they 
got  over  the  shock.  Are  we  going  right  for  the  Modder?" 

"Yes,  baas,  this  is  the  way.  But  the  sky  is  very  dark. 
There  is  going  to  be  a  storm,  I  think.  I  am  afraid  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  go  very  straight." 

"  That  does  not  matter,  Peter.  I  have  still  got  my  com- 
pass and  matches.  I  had  them  in  my  tobacco-pouch.  That 
and  a  handkerchief  are  the  only  things  they  left  me.  You 
managed  that  splendidly,  Peter.  You  did  well  not  to  show 


186  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

yourself  in  the  light.  They  would  have  been  so  furious  to 
think  that  they  have  been  held  up  by  a  native,  that  even 
your  rifle  would  not  have  kept  them  quiet." 

"I  could  have  shot  the  five  one  after  the  other,  baas." 

"You  might  have  done  so,  Peter,  but  the  sound  of  firing 
would  have  brought  the  whole  town  out  at  once.  Besides, 
I  should  have  been  very  sorry,  for  the  landdrost  was  a  very 
civil  old  fellow,  and  I  should  have  been  grieved  if  harm 
had  come  to  him.  I  don't  know  that  there  is  any  fear  of 
pursuit,"  he  said,  after  they  had  run  for  more  than  an 
hour. 

"No  fear  at  all,  baas.  The  Boers  do  not  like  riding 
about  at  night,  especially  when  there  is  a  storm  coming  on. 
Besides,  they  know  very  well  that  they  have  no  chance  of 
catching  you  in  the  dark.  To-morrow  morning  they  will 
send  out  in  all  directions.  We  must  get  away  as  far  as 
we  can." 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  storm  burst  upon  them,  the 
rain  coming  down  in  torrents,  the  wind  blowing  fiercely. 
They  had  now  fallen  into  a  jog-trot,  and  as  Yorke  had  looked 
at  his  compass  when  the  first  drop  fell,  they  were  able  to 
keep  on  without  delay,  for  they  could  steer  their  course  by 
the  direction  of  the  wind  and  driving  rain.  Half  an  hour, 
and  the  storm  ceased  as  suddenly  as  it  had  begun.  The 
Kaffir  had  been  running  a  yard  or  two  ahead  of  Yorke,  for 
the  latter  could  see  nothing,  while  the  former  was  able  to 
make  out  any  bush  in  their  way.  From  the  view  he  had 
obtained  of  the  country  when  he  came  into  the  town  the 
lad  knew  that  there  were  no  kopjes  for  a  long  way  round  it, 
and  that  the  only  danger  was  of  falling  into  a  spruit. 

When  the  sky  cleared  and  the  stars  shone  out  there  was 
no  longer  any  fear  of  accident,  and  sometimes  walking, 
and  sometimes  trotting,  they  held  on  their  course  until 
morning  broke.  They  had  travelled,  they  calculated,  nearly 
thirty  miles.  The  last  four  or  five  had  been  over  com- 
paratively broken  ground,  being  a  continuation  of  the  hills 


AN  ESCAPE  187 

through  which  they  had  passed  on  their  way  to  Kimberley. 
They  hid  up  on  the  side  of  a  rocky  kopje,  and  when  it  was 
light  made  out  the  road  from  Boshof  to  Jacobsdal  about  a 
mile  to  their  right. 

"  There  is  a  little  town  in  the  distance,"  Yorke  said  look- 
ing south.  "  That  must  be  Wesselton.  I  don't  think  that  is 
more  than  eight  miles  or  so  from  the  river.  What  we  have 
got  to  do  is  to  get  round  that  place,  keep  a  bit  to  the  right  of 
the  road  till  we  are  close  to  the  river,  and  then  strike 
due  west.  Of  course  the  most  dangerous  point  is  where 
we  cross  the  road  from  Jacobsdal  to  Kimberley.  Once  past 
that  we  are  safe,  except  that  they  may  have  scouts  out 
towards  our  camp,  to  give  them  notice  of  any  move  that 
might  be  made  against  Jacobsdal.  They  say  that  a  strong 
force  is  there,  who  intend,  of  course,  to  try  and  cut  the 
railway  in  our  rear  when  Lord  Hethuen  moves  forward. 
Now,  the  best  thing  we  can  do  is  to  take  a  few  hours'  sleep." 

In  a  few  minutes  he  was  sound  asleep.  The  Kaffir  slept 
lightly,  and  every  half -hour  or  so  lifted  his  head  and  looked 
out  over  the  road  towards  Boshof.  Yorke  awoke  about  mid- 
day. Peter  was  at  that  moment  looking  out. 

"  Do  you  see  anything  on  the  road,  Peter  ? "  Yorke  asked. 

"No  one  now,  baas.  Three  hours  after  you  went  to 
sleep  two  Boers  rode  past  going  fast.  I  expect  they  were 
sent  from  Boshof  to  say  that  you  had  got  away.  Three 
hours  after  that  more  than  twenty  men  came  the  other  way. 
When  they  got  to  the  plain  they  separated,  and  rode  about 
searching  the  country  as  they  went." 

"Looking  for  us,  no  doubt,"  Yorke  said.  "Well,  they 
won't  find  us,  but  it  shows  the  alarm  has  spread.  We  shall 
have  to  be  very  careful  now,  Peter.  Where  is  that  food  you 
bought  at  Boshof?  I  did  not  feel  hungry  last  night,  but 
my  appetite  has  come  back  again  this  morning.  If  we  go  to 
that  boulder  fifty  yards  to  the  right  we  shall  be  in  the 
shade." 

"Better  stay  where  we  are,  baas.     The  Boers  are  accua- 


188  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PBETOBIA. 

tomed  to  hunt,  and  have  got  very  good  eyes,  almost  as  good  as 
ours.  They  might  see  us." 

"But  you  said  that  there  were  none  of  them  along  the 
road  now." 

"  That  is  so,  baas,  but  there  may  be  some  of  them  on 
the  hills  hiding  among  the  rocks.  They  would  feel  sure 
that  we  should  come  this  way,  and  no  doubt  while  some  went 
out  on  the  plain,  some  climbed  up  there  in  hopes  of  seeing 
us  move." 

"  Quite  right,  Peter ;  it  is  no  use  throwing  away  a  chance. 
We  will  stop  where  we  are  and  put  up  with  the  sun." 

"  We  have  no  meat,  baas ;  I  knew  very  well  there  would  be 
no  chance  of  cooking  it.  I  have  got  a  bag  of  biscuit  and  a 
bottle  of  whisky." 

;"  Have  you  got  your  water-bottle  ? " 
"  Not  left  him  behind,  baas." 
"Well,  then,  I  will  have  some  water,  and  when  I  have 
runk  half  of  it  you  can  pour  a  little  whisky  in  the  rest 
or  yourself." 
"Whisky  bad  thing,  baas,  but  very  nice." 
"  It  may  be  nice  in  small  quantities  for  those  who  like  it. 
don't  like  it.    I  never  touch  it  if  I  can  help  it.    It  is  the 
ruin  of  half  your  people,  and  you  know  it  is  against  the 
Haw  to  give  it  to  you." 

"Against  the  law,  baas  but  we  can  always  find  plenty 
of  men  ready  to  sell  it  for  good  money." 

"  They  are  bad  men,  Peter.  The  harm  they  do  is  very 
great.  That  is  why  so  many  of  your  people  are  in  rags, 
though  they  can  earn  pay  when  they  are  willing  to  work. 
They  will  only  labour  for  three  or  four  days,  and  then 
spend  pretty  well  all  they  have  earned  on  spirits,  and  be 
drunk  the  next  three." 

"  That  is  true,  baas.  Peter  do  that  very  often.  Big  fool, 
Peter!  Often  tells  himself  so  when  he  gets  sober.  But 
when  he  gets  money  he  smells  spirit,  then  he  makes  fool  of 
{himself  again." 


AN  ESCAPE  189 

"Well,  you  had  better  make  up  your  mind  to  give  it  up 
altogether,  Peter.  You  are  getting  good  pay  now,  and 
ought  to  have  a  lot  of  money  saved  by  the  end  of  the  war 
— enough  to  go  back  to  your  own  people  and  build  a  kraal, 
and  buy  cattle,  and  exchange  some  of  them  for  a  wife." 

"  That  true,  baas.    Peter  will  try  not  to  be  big  fool  again." 

"  Well,  then,  you  had  better  begin  to  try  at  once,  and 
drink  your  water  without  mixing  whisky  with  it." 

Peter's  face  fell,  and  he  heaved  a  long  sigh. 

"  Now,  just  suppose,  Peter,  that  at  Boshof  you  had  opened 
that  bottle  of  whisky.  I  have  no  doubt  that  if  you  had  begun 
it  you  would  have  drunk  almost  all  of  it,  and  by  the  time 
you  got  sober  you  would  have  found  me  a  long  way  towards 
Pretoria." 

"  That  is  just  what  I  said  to  myself,"  Peter  said  with  a 
laugh.  "  I  take  that  bottle  out  of  my  pocket  four  or  five 
times  and  look  at  him.  But  each  time  I  took  it  out  I  said 
to  myself,  '  Peter,  if  you  take  out  that  cork  you  know  what 
it  will  be.  You  will  get  drunk,  and  the  Boers  will  carry 
your  baas  away.' " 

"  Well,  Peter,  you  fought  the  battle  and  mastered  yourself, 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  do  it  again.  It  is 
better  to  be  a  free  man  than  a  slave." 

"  How  slave,  master  ?  "  Peter  asked  puzzled. 

"  Every  man  is  a  slave  who  allows  himself  to  be  mastered 
by  drink.  It  is  of  no  use  to  say,  '  I  will  only  have  a  drop.' 
It  is  ten  times  more  difficult  to  stop  then  than  it  is  at  first. 
Now,  Peter,  you  have  done  me  a  great  service — a  very  great 
service,  but  I  shall  have  done  you  quite  as  good  a  one  if  I 
can  persuade  you  to  give  up  drink  altogether.  Then  when 
I  part  from  you,  I  shall  be  always  able  to  think  of  you  as 
doing  well  among  your  own  people,  instead  of  working  in 
rags  somewhere  for  a  day's  pay." 

"Peter  will  try,  master;  he  will  try  hard.  Every  time  he 
smells  gin,  he  will  say  to  himself,  '  Baas  Yorke  tell  me,  that 
ruin  me  if  I  touch  it;  and  him  say  true,  I  will  not  touch  it.' " 


190  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"That  is  right,  Peter." 

"  Shall  I  smash  the  bottle  now,  baas  ?  " 

"  Smash  it  when  we  get  into  camp.  It  is  good  for  medi- 
cine, but  very  bad  as  drink.  We  may  have  to  sleep  near  the 
river,  and  perhaps  in  wet  clothes.  Besides,  it  is  better  for 
you  to  carry  it  with  you  without  touching  it.  You  see 
that  you  have  begun  to  get  the  better  of  it.  I  shall  not  say 
no  to  you  if  you  ask  me  for  some,  but  it  will  please  me 
very  much  if  you  don't.  Now,  let  us  eat  our  biscuit." 

When  they  had  finished  their  simple  meal,  Yorke  said: 
"  I  have  had  my  sleep  out,  and  it  is  evident  that  you  cannot 
have  slept  much,  therefore  you  may  as  well  get  a  good  sleep 
before  we  start.  I  will  keep  watch." 

Late  in  the  afternoon.  Yorke  saw  the  Boers  straggling 
back.  They  had  no  doubt  come  to  the  conclusion  that  he 
and  those  with  him  were  not  hiding  out  on  the  plain. 

"  They  will  probably  place  extra  men  on  the  watch  during 
the  night,"  thought  Yorke,  "to  make  sure  that  we  do  not 
pass  through  Wesselton.  We  had  better  keep  to  the  left  of 
that  place,  because  they  will  think  it  more  likely  that  we 
should  turn  off  to  the  right,  as  that  would  be  our  natural 
course  in  making  for  the  Modder.  However,  I  cannot 
think  that  they  will  take  any  great  trouble  to  look  out 
for  us,  except  on  the  road  through  these  hills,  for  they 
cannot  be  sure  that  from  Boshof  we  did  not  work  round 
the  other  side  of  Kimberley,  and  try  to  return  to  the  town 
from  the  west." 


OHAPTEK  XI 

MAGERSFONTEIN 

AS  soon  as  it  was  quite  dark,  Yorke  and  his  companion 
were  again  on  their  way.    It  was  toilsome  work.   They 
kept,  as  well  as  they  could  judge,  a  mile  from  the  road,  but 


MAGERSFONTEIN  191 

it  was  a  very  rough  piece  of  country.  There  were  steep 
hills  to  climb  and  descend,  tracts  of  boulder  and  rock  to  be 
crossed,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  keen-eyed  native,  Yorke 
would  have  found  it  impossible  to  make  his  way.  For- 
tunately the  night  was  starlit,  and  this  enabled  them  to  keep 
their  direction  without  having  recourse  to  the  dangerous 
expedient  of  striking  a  match.  Presently  the  country  be- 
came less  rough  and  hilly. 

"  I  think  we  have  passed  the  range,  Peter,  and  Wesselton 
cannot  be  very  far  off.  Keep  a  sharp  eye  on  the  look-out 
for  lights.  Directly  we  see  them,  we  shall  know  exactly 
what  our  position  is.  We  have  taken  a  very  long  time  to 
cross  the  hills,  and  I  want  to  sight  the  river  before  day- 
light. We  are  sure  to  find  bushes  or  willows  growing  by  the 
bank  where  we  can  hide." 

Half  an  hour's  walking,  and  Peter  said  in  a  low  voice, 
"  There  are  lights,  baas,"  pointing  somewhat  to  the  left  of  the 
track  they  were  taking. 

For  a  time  Yorke  could  not  discern  anything.  Then  a 
light  shone  out  and  disappeared  almost  instantly.  "  That  is 
somebody  carrying  a  candle  or  lamp  across  a  room,"  he  said. 
"  I  am  much  obliged  to  him,  whoever  it  is.  The  road  cannot 
be  far  to  the  right,  so  bear  more  the  other  way.  If  there 
are  any  Boers  about  they  would  probably  feel  sure  that  we 
should  strike  off  to  the  right." 

Making  a  detour,  they  presently  left  the  town  behind 
them,  and  kept  on  due  south.  They  had  no  fear  whatever  of 
anyone  being  on  watch  beyond  Wesselton,  and  therefore 
stepped  out  boldly  over  the  slightly  undulating  ground. 
Once  or  twice  Yorke  struck  a  match  and  looked  at  his  com- 
pass, to  be  sure  that  they  were  keeping  their  course. 

"  I  think  we  are  near  the  river  now,  baas,"  Peter  said  at 
last. 

"What  makes  you  think  that,  Peter?" 

"Smell  the  water." 

"Do  you,  Peter?    I  did  not  know  that  it  had  any  smell." 


192  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"Yes,  baas.  Oxen  and  deer  and  sheep  all  can  smell  it. 
Oxen  always  quicken  their  pace  when  they  get  near  a  pool." 

"  That  would  seem  to  show  that  you  are  right,  but  still 
I  don't  think  there  can  be  any  smell;  but  there  may  be 
more  damp  in  the  air  near  water,  and  their  senses  in  that 
way  are  more  delicate  than  that  of  a  white  man.  As  you 
say  you  think  we  are  near  water  I  have  no  doubt  you  are 
right.  Anyhow,  I  hope  you  are,  for  I  have  knocked  the 
skin  off  my  shins  in  half  a  dozen  places  among  these  rocks, 
and  I  have  pretty  nearly  twisted  my  ankle  as  often,  so  I 
shall  be  glad  enough  to  lie  down.  I  certainly  had  several 
hours'  sleep  yesterday,  but  that  did  not  make  up  for  the 
loss  of  sleep  the  night  before;  besides,  my  feet  are  getting 
very  tender.  I  have  not  walked,  in  all  the  months  I  have 
been  out  here,  as  much  as  during  these  two  nights." 

"Baas  walks  very  well.  No  Dutchman  ever  walked  half 
as  far  as  you  do." 

"Perhaps  not,  Peter;  they  never  use  their  legs.  A  Boer 
would  get  on  a  horse  if  he  only  wanted  to  go  fifty  yards 
to  fetch  anything.  I  used  to  be  a  good  walker,  but  on  the 
farm  I  got  to  be  almost  as  lazy  as  the  Dutchmen." 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  a  line  of  bushes  rose  in  front 
of  them. 

"  That  looks  as  if  the  river  were  near." 

"Just  on  other  side  of  the  bushes,  baas." 

So  it  turned  out,  and  after  climbing  down  to  it,  taking  a 
long  drink,  for  they  had  emptied  their  water-bottles  before 
starting,  they  took  a  mouthful  of  food  and  lay  down  among 
the  bushes. 

"  There  is  not  the  least  occasion  to  keep  watch,"  Yorke 
said.  "  It  will  be  morning  soon,  and  if  either  of  us  wake, 
we  can  peep  out  from  the  edge  of  the  bushes  and  see  if  there 
are  any  Dutchmen  in  sight.  If  there  are  not,  we  can  sleep 
on  as  long  as  we  like." 

Yorke  did  not  wake  till  the  sun  was  almost  overhead. 
The  native  was  crouching  down  near  the  bushes. 


MAGEBSFONTEIN  193 

"Well,  Peter,  do  you  see  anything?"  He  asked. 

"  I  have  seen  Boers  at  that  house  there  going  in  and  out. 
They  just  rode  in,  waited  half  an  hour,  and  rode  away 
again.  They  did  not  look  ahout  at  all;  just  paying  a  visit." 

"We  did  not  see  the  house  last  night,  though  we  must 
have  passed  very  close  to  it." 

"  We  did  not  look  for  houses,  haas,  we  looked  for  river." 

"But  as  there  are  horses  and  cattle  grazing  ahout,  I 
wonder  we  did  not  startle  some  of  them.  They  must  have 
been  farther  away  from  the  house.  They  would  have  been 
sure  to  move  if  we  had  passed  near  them." 

"  Some  came  near  here  this  morning,  baas.  Grass  longer 
here.  When  river  high,  spread  over  country  near." 

"Well,  as  long  as  they  don't  enter  the  bushes,  it  does  not 
matter,  Peter.  If  they  did,  and  came  upon  us,  they  would 
be  startled,  and  gallop  away,  and  if  any  Boer  happened  to 
be  looking  from  that  house,  he  might  saunter  down  here  to 
see  what  caused  their  fright. 

The  day  passed  quietly,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  dark  they 
were  in  motion  again. 

"  Our  course  is  a  very  little  to  the  south  of  west," 
Yorke  said.  "Now  we  are  quite  safe  till  we  approach  the 
road  from  Kimberley  to  Jacobsdal.  Once  past  that,  it  is 
only  about  ten  miles  to  the  railway,  and  by  following  the 
latter  we  shall  reach  the  camp.  But  we  can't  go  in  till 
morning,  for  we  have  not  got  the  countersign,  and  so  should 
run  the  risk  of  being  shot  by  one  of  our  tramp  pickets." 

Four  hours'  tramp  took  them  to  the  road.  They  could 
hear,  as  they  approached  it,  a  murmur  of  voices,  and  moved 
away  to  the  right  and  walked  for  some  distance  before 
attempting  to  cross  it. 

"  The  Boers  evidently  have  parties  thrown  out  to  give 
notice  of  any  force  approaching  from  our  camp,"  Yorke 
said,  in  low  tones.  "  We  shall  have  to  be  very  careful,  for 
there  is  no  saying  where  they  are  posted,  and  they  may 
extend  almost  up  to  the  railway," 

(M839)  N 


194  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"  Yes,  we  must  take  care,  baas.  If  only  two  or  three,  we 
shoot  them;  if  more  of  them,  they  shoot  us.  I  go  first,  you 
come  a  little  after  me,  baas.  If  there  are  Boers,  they  are 
sure  to  be  talking,  keeping  themselves  awake;  if  not  talk, 
sure  to  be  asleep,  then  we  pass  them  safe." 

"  Yes,  if  you  don't  happen  to  tread  on  them." 

"No  fear  of  that,  baas.  I  can  see  little  shrub  twenty 
yards  away.  I  see  body  of  big  Boer  farther  than  that." 

Trusting  implicitly  to  the  sight  and  hearing  of  the  Kaffir, 
Yorke  followed  some  ten  paces  behind  him,  having  his 
rifle  now  in  his  hand  ready  for  use.  They  had  gone  a  quarter 
of  a  mile,  when  suddenly  on  their  left  there  was  a  move- 
ment, and  a  voice  said,  "Wake  up,  Philip!  there  is  some- 
thing moving." 

"It  is  only  a  deer  or  a  hare,"  the  other  said  sleepily. 

"  No,  it  isn't,"  the  man  replied  angrily.  "  If  it  had  been 
a  wild  animal  it  would  have  dashed  away  when  I  spoke; 
instead  of  that,  the  noise  stopped.  It  was  footsteps,  I 
could  almost  swear;  most  likely  one  of  the  rascally  Kaffirs 
going  to  the  Eooinek  camp  with  news.  We  will  soon  see. 
Come  along  this  way;  that  is  where  the  sound  came  from." 

Yorke  had  crouched  down  as  soon  as  he  stopped,  and  saw 
that  the  native  had  done  the  same.  In  a  minute  he  saw  the 
outlines  of  two  dark  figures. 

"I  can  see  you!"  the  Boer  who  had  first  spoken  shouted. 
"  Who  are  you,  and  where  are  you  going  ?  Answer,  or  I 
put  a  bullet  through  your  head." 

Yorke  did  not  believe  that  he  was  seen,  but  he  knew  that 
if  the  Boers  advanced  two  paces  farther  they  would  make 
him  out,  and  the  first  intimation  he  would  have  that  they 
did  so  would  be  given  by  a  rifle  bullet.  It  was  a  question  of 
life  or  death,  and  accordingly  he  took  a  steady  aim  and 
fired.  The  man  he  aimed  at  fell  without  a  cry.  As  he  pulled 
the  trigger  Yorke  threw  himself  flat  upon  the  ground,  and  it 
was  as  well  that  he  did  so,  for  the  other  Boer  fired  where 


IN   A   MINUTE   HE   SAW   THE    OUTLINES  OP   TWO  DARK   FIGURES. 


MAGEBSFONTEIN  195 

he  had  seen  the  flash  of  his  rifle.  Almost  at  the  same  mo- 
ment another  rifle  was  discharged,  and  the  Boer  dropped  his 
gun,  and  with  an  oath  ran  off  at  full  speed.  Peter  was  by 
Yorke's  side  before  the  latter  could  get  on  to  his  feet. 

"Are  you  wounded,  baas?" 

"No;  by  the  sound  the  shot  went  through  my  water- 
bottle.  Two  inches  lower  and  I  should  have  had  it  in  the 
hip." 

"I  was  aiming  at  the  same  man  as  you,"  the  native 
said,  "  till  you  fired  and  I  saw  him  fall,  and  before  I  could 
change  my  aim  the  other  man  had  fired.  I  was  just  too  late 
to  stop  him." 

"It  was  a  good  thing  that  you  hit  him,  Peter,  for  if  you 
had  not  done  so  he  would  have  fired  again.  No  doubt  his 
magazine  was  full,  and  the  next  shot  might  have  done  its 
business.  I  had  not  time  to  think  when  I  threw  myself 
down;  if  I  had  done  so  I  should  have  dropped  with  my 
head  towards  him,  and  then  I  could  have  fired  again,  but  I 
went  down  sideways,  and  so  for  the  moment  could  not  use 
my  rifle.  You  hit  the  other  man  in  the  arm,  I  think,  for 
his  rifle  dropped,  he  did  not  throw  it  down.  Now,  we  must 
run  our  hardest,  Peter.  Do  you  hear  them  shouting?  We 
may  as  well  go  straight  on  as  any  other  way.  By  the  row 
they  are  making  they  seem  to  be  all  over  the  place,  so  it  is 
no  use  trying  to  avoid  them." 

Keeping  close  together  now,  they  ran  at  the  top  of  their 
speed,  changing  their  course  occasionally  when  they  heard 
voices  ahead  of  them.  The  noise  was  all  in  their  favour,  for 
it  completely  drowned  the  slight  sound  made  by  their  foot- 
steps, and  served  as  a  warning  to  them  of  the  position  of 
the  various  outposts.  They  maintained  their  pace  for  nearly 
a  mile.  The  sounds  were  all  behind  them  now,  so  they  broke 
into  a  walk,  which  they  maintained  until  they  came  upon 
the  line  of  railway. 

"  We  will  walk  along  on  the  other  side  of  this.    Keep  your 


196  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

ears  open,  Peter,  and  listen  for  the  slightest  movement.  I 
don't  know  how  far  our  outposts  are  thrown  out,  and  I 
want  to  stop  before  we  get  near  them." 

They  had  walked  some  three  miles,  when  Peter  said: 

"  Stop,  baas.  I  heard  a  noise ;  I  think  a  soldier  is  stamping 
his  feet  to  warm  himself." 

"All  right,  Peter.  I  am  sure  we  cannot  be  very  far  off 
now,  so  we  will  wait  till  morning.  We  can  sleep  till  broad 
daylight." 

Three  hours  later  the  native  touched  Yorke. 

"  Sun  is  just  up.     Shall  we  go  on  now  ? " 

"  Certainly.  We  will  sling  our  rifles  again.  If  we  have 
them  in  our  hands  the  sentry  might  think  it  wiser  to  fire  at 
once,  without  asking  questions.  However,  now  that  he  can 
see  my  uniform,  I  have  little  fear  of  that,  but  it  is  as 
well  to  be  on  the  safe  side." 

As  they  approached  they  could  see  that  the  sentry  called 
to  a  comrade  close  by,  for  another  at  once  joined  him.  When 
they  came  within  a  hundred  yards  the  sentry  challenged. 

"An  officer  with  despatches  .from  Kimberley,"  Yorke  re- 
plied. 

"You  can  come  on  for  a  bit,"  the  soldier  said,  "but  I 
shall  not  let  you  pass  farther  until  an  officer  comes." 

"I  have  a  permit  from  General  Colville  to  enter  and 
pass  the  lines." 

"  Then  you  can  come  on,  but  don't  touch  those  guns  of 
yours  till  I  have  seen  your  permit." 

The  sentry  was  justified  in  being  doubtful,  for  many  of 
the  Boers  had  adopted  khaki-coloured  clothes,  and  at  a  very 
short  distance  Yorke  might  well  have  been  mistaken  for  one 
of  these. 

"  That  is  all  right,  sir,"  the  soldier  said,  when  he  had 
read  the  permit.  "  We  are  obliged  to  be  careful,  you  know; 
and  if  you  had  come  before  it  got  light  I  could  not  have 
let  you  pass  without  the  countersign." 


MAGEESFONTEIN  197 

"You  were  quite  right  to  stop  me,"  Yorke  said.  "It  is 
because  I  knew  that  I  could  not  get  in  without  the  counter- 
sign that  I  have  been  sleeping  for  the  last  three  or  four 
hours  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away.  Did  you  hear  any  firing  in 
the  night?" 

"I  did  not,  sir;  but  the  man  I  relieved  told  me  that  he 
had  heard  three  shots  over  to  the  right,  and  we  were  charged 
to  be  extra  vigilant." 

"You  need  not  be  so  any  longer.  One  shot  was  fired  at 
me  as  I  came  through  some  Boer  outposts  a  couple  of  miles 
this  side  of  the  road  from  Jacobsdal.  The  others  are  the 
two  shots  we  fired.  There  are  a  good  many  of  the  Boers 
about,  but  we  got  through  safely." 

"Is  Kimberley  all  right,  sir?  You  said  you  came  from 
there." 

"  Yes,  they  can  hold  out  for  some  time." 

"They  won't  have  to  hold  out  long,  sir.  We  shall  be 
there  before  another  week  is  over,  I  hope." 

"I  hope  so  too,"  Yorke  agreed,  and  then  he  and  Peter 
walked  on. 

He  followed  the  line  of  railway.  There  were  two  or 
three  strong  posts  upon  it,  but  seeing  that  he  had  been 
allowed  to  pass  by  the  most  advanced  sentries,  no  questions 
were  asked  him.  Nearing  the  river,  he  turned  off  and  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  headquarters.  On  arriving  there  he  was 
told  that  General  Colville  was  dressing,  and  would  be  out 
in  a  few  minutes. 

"  Shall  I  take  your  name  in,  sir  ? "  the  orderly  asked. 

"No,  I  will  wait  till  the  general  is  ready." 

In  ten  minutes  General  Colville  came  out  with  General 
Pole-Carew,  and  on  seeing  Yorke,  said  heartily: 

"  So  you  are  back,  Mr.  Harberton.  We  g"ot  our  search- 
lights to  work  last  night  for  the  first  time,  and  got  into 
communication  with  Kimberley.  They  have  been  flashing 
signals  for  some  days,  but  we  have  not  been  able  to  answer 


198  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

them  until  now.  Last  night  we  asked,  '  Has  messenger 
arrived  ? '  and  we  got  an  answer,  '  Yes,  and  left  two  days 
ago.'" 

"  Then  I  am  afraid  my  report  will  be  of  little  use  to  you, 
sir." 

"  On  the  contrary,  we  are  most  anxious  to  hear  it.  There 
are  fellows  in  their  ranks  who  have  served  with  us,  and  one 
or  more  of  these  can  doubtless  read  our  signals.  We  have 
only  asked  them  if  they  could  hold  out  until  we  arrive,  and 
they  said  'yes.'  We  abstained  from  asking  any  further 
questions,  for  from  prisoners  we  hear  that  the  Boers  feel 
sure  that  Kimberley  cannot  hold  out  much  longer.  Now, 
in  the  first  place,  what  is  your  report  ? " 

"  This  is  all  I  have  brought,  sir.  Colonel  Kekewich  was 
afraid  that  I  might  be  caught  on  my  way  out,  consequently 
I  only  put  down,  as  you  see  on  this  slip  of  paper,  his  esti- 
mate of  the  amount  of  stores.  It  will  not  take  me  five 
minutes  to  write  out  the  names  of  the  various  articles  to 
which  the  figures  refer." 

"And  were  you  caught?" 

"  Yes,  and  this  paper  was  examined ;  but  they  could  make 
neither  head  nor  tail  of  it,  and  threw  it  on  the  ground  and 
I  recovered  it. 

"  Well,  just  complete  that  list,  then,  and  I  will  take  it  in 
to  Lord  Methuen,  who  is,  I  am  happy  to  say,  going  on 
well.  But  first,  you  can  answer  me  generally,  how  long  can 
they  hold  out?" 

"  I  should  think,  sir,  for  three  months.  Some  items  may 
run  short,  but  in  general  Colonel  Kekewich  was  of  opinion 
that  the  stores  available  were  considerably  greater  than 
those  indicated  by  the  figures,  as  most  of  the  residents 
had  laid  in  private  stores  before  the  town  was  altogether 
cut  off." 

"  That  is  most  satisfactory.  We  may  be  sure  that  they 
won't  have  to  wait  so  long  as  that.  If  you  will  write  out 
the  list  at  once  I  will  take  it  in  to  Lord  Methuen,  and  after 


MAQEBSFONTEIK  199 

that  you  can  give  me  an  account  of  how  you  got  in,  and 
how  you  got  away  after  once  being  caught  by  the  Boers." 

Yorke  wrote  out  the  list. 

,  "  Very  good  indeed,  much  better  than  I  had  expected.  I 
see  you  have  put  a  query  behind  the  number  of  shell.  What 
does  that  mean?  There  can  be  no  private  store  of  shell." 

"  No,  sir;  but  the  De  Beers  people  have  set  to  to  manufac- 
ture them,  and  have  begun  to  turn  them  out  rapidly.  They 
have  already  been  tried,  and  the  gunners  can  make  as  good 
practice  as  with  our  own." 

"  Good  indeed.  I  see  that  there  is  a  mark  after  the  num- 
ber of  the  guns." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  the  De  Beers  people  have  begun  making  a  long 
gun.  They  heard  that  the  Boers  are  bringing  up  a  hun- 
dred-pounder, and  they  hope  that  the  one  they  are  making 
will  have  a  longer  range  than  that  piece,  although  I  believe 
it  is  not  to  carry  so  heavy  a  shot." 

The  two  officers  left  the  room  with  the  list;  General 
Colville  returned  in  a  few  minutes.  "Lord  Methuen  will 
see  you,"  he  said.  "  He  would  like  to  question  you  himself." 

Yorke  followed  .him  into  another  room.  Lord  Methuen 
was  lying  on  a  couch. 

"  I  congratulate  you  upon  your  safe  return,  Mr.  Har- 
berton,"  he  said.  "  It  has  been  a  most  hazardous  service, 
but  the  news  you  have  obtained  has  been  invaluable.  We 
dared  not  question  Kimberley  about  their  store  of  provisions, 
for  if  their  answers  were  understood  by  the  Boers  they 
would  see  that  their  chance  of  reducing  the  place  by  hunger 
was  so  slight  that  they  might  decide  to  abandon  the  siege 
and  to  march  away  into  the  Colony,  which  is  the  thing 
of  all  others  we  wish  to  prevent." 

"Colonel  Kekewich  saw  that,  sir,"  Yorke  said;  "and  that 
is  why  he  would  not  give  me  any  written  details." 

Lord  Methuen  asked  many  particulars  as  to  the  defences 
of  Kimberley,  the  effect  of  the  Boer  bombardment,  and  the 
temper  of  the  population.  "  Did  you  see  Mr.  Khodes  2 " 


200  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA. 


"  How  does  he  get  on  with  the  commandant  ? " 

"  I  think,  sir,  from  what  I  heard,  that  there  is  some  friction 
between  him  and  the  military  authorities,  but  nothing  serious 
at  all.  All  the  resources  of  the  mines  have  been  placed  by 
him  in  the  hands  of  the  authorities.  He  is  employing  a 
large  number  of  Kaffirs  in  making  roads,  and  these  he  pays 
and  feeds,  which  is  a  great  relief  to  the  authorities ;  for  they 
have  twice  tried  to  send  the  Kaffirs  out  of  the  town,  but  both 
times  the  Boers  have  compelled  them  to  return,  no  doubt 
because  they  think  that  the  more  mouths  there  are  to  feed, 
the  sooner  the  provisions  will  be  exhausted." 

"And  now,  Mr.  Harberton,  tell  us  how  you  managed  to 
get  into  the  town  and  to  return  here." 

Yorke  related  his  adventures. 

"  You  have  been  fortunate  indeed,"  the  general  said,  "  and 
have  had  three  very  narrow  escapes — in  the  first  place,  at  that 
hut  which  you  defended  so  stoutly;  in  the  next  place,  when 
you  were  first  taken  prisoner;  and  lastly,  in  getting  through 
the  Boer  lines  this  side  of  Jacobsdal,  to  say  nothing  of  your 
escape  at  Boshof .  Your  Kaffir  must  be  a  stout  fellow." 

"  He  is,  sir.  Without  his  assistance  I  should  by  this  time 
be  a  long  way  on  my  road  to  Pretoria." 

"  Well,  your  services  have  been  most  valuable,  and  I  shall 
have  great  pleasure  in  recommending  you  for  a  commission  if 
you  would  like  to  take  one." 

"I  thank  you  very  much,  sir.  I  should  feel  it  a  great 
honour.  And  even  if  I  resigned  at  the  end  of  the  war  it 
would  be  all  my  life  a  gratification  to  have  received  the 
Queen's  commission." 

"  I  suppose  you  would  prefer  the  cavalry  ? " 

"Yes  sir." 

"  Well,  then,  I  will  recommend  that  you  be  gazetted  to  the 
9th  Lancers.  The  colonel  will  be  glad  to  have  you;  what 
with  casualties  and  illness  he  is  short  of  subalterns.  You 
have  been  very  favourably  reported  before  for  your  expedi- 


MAGERSFONTEIN  201 

tion  from  De  Aar  across  the  Orange  River,  and  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  my  recommendation  will  be  acceded  to  at  once." 

"  May  I  ask  what  I  am  to  do  with  the  twenty  "Kaffir  scouts 
who  have  been  working  under  me?" 

"You  had  better  hand  them  over  to  Major  Rimington. 
He  will  know  how  to  employ  them." 

"  Will  you  see,  general,  that  Mr.  Harberton  is  put  in  orders 
as  provisionally  appointed  second  lieutenant  in  the  9th 
Lancers,  but  detailed  for  special  duty  as  extra  aide-de-camp 
to  General  Pole-Carew?" 

"  Thank  you,"  that  officer  said.  "  I  shall  be  very  glad  to 
have  him,  for  I  am  one  short  already.  Mr.  Lucas  is  down 
with  fever  of  some  sort,  and  the  doctor  says  that  if  he  does 
not  get  better  he  must  send  him  off  to  the  base  hospital.  I 
think  Mr.  Harberton  would  be  much  more  useful  with  me 
than  he  could  be  with  his  regiment.  I  will  ride  over  with 
him  to  the  Lancer  Camp  and  introduce  him  to  the  colonel." 

"  Thank  you ;  that  would  be  best.  When  telegraphing 
home  to-day,  will  you  say  that  Mr.  Harberton,  second  lieu- 
tenant in  the  Cape  Town  Riflemen,  has  been  provisionally 
appointed  second  lieutenant  9th  Lancers  for  very  distin- 
guished services  in  carrying  despatches  into  and  out  of 
Kimberley  and  upon  other  occasions?  That  will  settle  the 
matter  at  once,  and  we  shall  have  an  answer  in  two  or  three 
days?" 

"  Have  you  a  horse,  Mr.  Harberton  ? "  General  Pole-Carew 
asked  as  they  left  the  house. 

"  Yes,  a  very  good  one ;  but  it  is  at  Rimington's  camp." 

The  general  turned  to  the  orderly  who  was  holding  his 
horse  and  his  own.  "  Hand  your  horse  to  this  gentleman ;  he 
will  return  it  to  you  in  half  an  hour.  Wait  here  till  he 
does  so." 

The  Lancers  were  encamped  a  mile  away  to  the  north. 
Some  of  the  tents  had  now  come  up.  From  one  of  these 
the  colonel  came  out,  and  the  sentry  at  the  door  told  him  that 
the  general  was  approaching. 


202  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"  Good-morning,  colonel ! "  the  latter  said  as  he  dis- 
mounted. I  have  come  to  introduce  to  you  Lieutenant  Har- 
berton.  Lord  Methuen  has  telegraphed  home  recommending 
him  for  a  commission  in  your  regiment.  The  provisional 
appointment  will  be  in  orders  this  morning.  He  has  won 
the  commission  by  carrying  a  despatch  into  Kimberley  and 
returning  with  a  message  from  Kekewich  at,  I  need  not  say, 
immense  risk.  He  has  performed  other  meritorious  services. 
He  has  been  hitherto  a  lieutenant  in  the  Cape  Town  Eifles, 
and  has  been  attached  to  Rimington's  Corps.  I  am  afraid, 
however,  that  at  present  you  will  derive  no  benefit  from  his 
services,  as  I  have  commandeered  him  as  one  of  my  aides  in 
place  of  Lucas,  who  is  ill.  He  speaks  Taal  like  a  native." 

"  I  should  have  been  very  glad  to  have  him,  sir,  for  I  am 
short  of  officers.  But  no  doubt,  speaking  Dutch  as  he  does, 
he  will  be  still  more  useful  to  you." 

"  Yes,  none  of  my  staff  speak  the  language  well.  I  should 
think  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  for  you  to  ask  Riming- 
ton  to  let  you  have  one  or  two  of  his  men.  You  might  find 
them  of  great  advantage  with  scouting  parties,  when  we  once 
move  again.  If  you  like,  I  will  ask  him  myself;  I  am  going 
to  his  camp  now." 

"  Thank  you !  It  would  certainly  be  of  great  use,  and  of 
course  such  a  request  coming  from  you  would  be  complied 
with  at  once." 

"  I  will  leave  you  here,  Mr.  Harberton.  I  shall  not  want 
you  to-day,  and  you  may  as  well  get  acquainted  with  the 
officers  of  your  regiment.  Lucas  may  rejoin  again  soon,  and 
then  you  may  join  them.  At  any  rate,  when  you  ride  over 
here  with  a  message  it  would  be  more  pleasant  for  you  to  be 
acquainted  with  them. 

"  I  shall  feel  obliged,  colonel,  if  you  will  send  one  of  your 
men  to  head-quarters  to  hand  over  the  horse  Mr.  Harberton 
is  riding  to  the  trooper  he  will  find  waiting  there.  His  own 
horse  is  at  Rimington's  camp;  it  is  only  a  quarter  of  a  mile 


MAGEESFONTEIN  203 

away.  No  doubt  hj  will  be  going  over  there  presently,  as 
he  has  been  attached  to  them  for  some  little  time. 

"  You  will  come  in  this  evening,  Mr.  Harberton,  and  take 
up  your  quarters  with  my  staff.  I  believe  there  is  still  an 
empty  room;  if  not,  they  will  find  one  for  you  close  by." 

"  We  are  just  going  to  sit  down  to  breakfast,  Mr.  Harber- 
ton," the  colonel  said.  "  It  will  be  a  good  opportunity  for 
introducing  you  to  the  officers,  and  we  shall  all  be  glad  to 
hear  how  you  got  into  Kimberley,  and  what  you  found  there." 

Five  minutes  later  Yorke  was  sitting  down  to  breakfast  at 
a  long  table  formed  of  packing  cases  and  a  rough  board.  He 
had  been  introduced  to  the  officers,  and  at  the  colonel's  re- 
quest had  taken  his  seat  next  to  him.  After  the  meal  was 
over  he  gave  an  account  of  his  adventures  in  entering  and 
leaving  Kimberley. 

"Well  managed  indeed!"  the  colonel  said.  "That  Kaffir 
of  yours  must  be  a  capital  fellow." 

"  He  is,  sir,  and  I  should  be  very  sorry  to  part  with  him;  I 
have  a  Dutch  trooper  with  me  as  my  servant,  but  I  can  take 
him  in  to  look  after  my  horse." 

"  I  will  take  him,  if  you  don't  want  him,  and  he  will  come," 
one  of  the  captains  said.  "  I  have  a  boy  I  took  on  at  Orange 
Eiver,  but  he  is  of  no  use  at  all.  Of  course  you  can  have 
him  again  if  you  join  us." 

"Thank  you;  but  I  would  not  part  with  him  on  any  ac- 
count, after  what  he  has  done  for  me;  I  shall  certainly  keep 
him  with  me  as  long  as  I  remain  out' here,  and  shall  see  that 
he  is  completely  settled  before  I  go  home.  Besides,  I  should 
need  him  again  if  I  ever  am  sent  on  another  expedition." 

After  breakfast  the  Lancers  went  out  to  make  a  recon- 
naissance towards  Magersfontein,  and  Yorke  walked  over  to 
Eimington's  camp.  Hans  ran  out  to  meet  him. 

"  So  you  have  returned,  Master  Yorke !  I  have  not  slept 
for  the  last  two  nights,  I  have  been  so  anxious  about  you." 

"  Yes,  I  got  through  all  right,  Hans.    I  was  held  prisoner 


204  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

for  twenty-four  hours,  but  Long  Peter  got  me  out.  I  will 
tell  you  all  about  it  later." 

"  You  are  going  to  stay  here  now,  I  hope  ? " 

"No.  General  Pole-Carew  has  put  me  on  his  staff.  You 
are  to  come  with  me  as  an  orderly."  » 

"  I  am  glad,"  Hans  said.  "  I  don't  care  what  I  do  so  long 
as  I  am  with  you." 

"  Y  ou  have  been  getting  on  all  right,  I  trust,  while  I  was 
away.  I  hope  the  Kaffirs  have  behaved  well?" 

"  Yes ;  they  have  been  out  twice  in  the  direction  of  Jacobs- 
dal,  but  they  could  not  get  near  the  place.  The  Boer  out- 
posts are  a  long  way  out." 

"Yes,  they  nearly  shot  me  last  night.  We  ran  right  into 
the  middle  of  them." 

They  were  by  this  time  close  to  the  camp,  and  some  of 
the  officers  joined  Yorke. 

"  Have  you  been  into  Kimberley  ? "  they  asked  at  once. 

"Yes.  I  met  with  no  difficulty  until  I  was  nearly  there, 
but  managed  to  get  in  after  a  skirmish.  I  had  worse  luck 
getting  out,  for  I  was  caught.  However,  my  Kaffir  came  to 
the  rescue,  and  I  got  back  without  much  trouble." 

"  And  how  are  they  getting  on  there  ?  " 

"  They  can  hold  out  for  a  long  time,  and  are,  I  think, 
quite  strong  enough  to  beat  off  any  attack  that  can  be  made 
upon  them.  I  think  the  Boers  know  it  too,  for  they  have 
made  no  serious  assault,  though  they  keep  on  firing." 

"  I  suppose  you  are  coming  back  to  us  now  ? " 

"  No,  Lord  Methuen  has  recommended  me  for  a  commis- 
sion in  the  Lancers,  and  General  Pole-Carew  has  put  me  on 
to  his  staff,  as  one  of  his  aides  has  fever." 

The  others  congratulated  him  warmly.  "  I  thought  you 
would  get  a  commission,"  one  of  them  said,  "when  I  heard 
that  you  had  undertaken  to  get  through  to  Kimberley.  I  am 
sure  you  deserve  it,  for  it  must  have  been  beastly  dangerous 
work." 

Yorke  remained  in  the  camp  an  hour,  and  had  to  tell  his 


MAGEBSPONTEIN  205 

story  over  again.  He  arranged  with  the  colonel  that  the 
Kaffir  scouts  should  remain  with  him  until  he  had  spoken  to 
the  head  of  the  Intelligence  Department,  who  might  wish 
to  employ  them  himself,  and  then  he  and  Hans  mounted  and 
rode  into  the  camp  on  the  Modder.  Long  Peter  was  sitting 
quietly  where  Torke  had  left  him.  The  latter  told  him  of 
the  changes  that  had  taken  place. 

"  Of  course  I  shall  take  you  with  me,  Peter,  and  the  horses 
will  be  in  your  special  charge.  Hans  will  look  after  other 
matters.  After  what  we  have  gone  through  together,  I  shall 
aways  keep  you  with  me  as  long  as  I  remain  out  here,  unless, 
of  course,  you  yourself  wish  to  leave  me." 

"  I  shall  never  want  to  do  that,  baas.  You  have  treated  us 
all  well,  as  if  we  had  been  your  children,  and  now  we  have 
fought  the  Boers  together,  I  hope  always  to  be  with  you.  I 
have  got  some  money,  and  I  will  buy  a  pony,  so  as  to  be  able 
always  to  keep  up  with  you.  I  can  buy  one  for  a  pound  after 
the  next  battle." 

"  Do  not  do  so  till  I  tell  you,  Peter.  I  know  that  Kaffir 
boys  always  do  ride  when  they  go  with  their  masters,  but  I 
do  not  know  whether  it  would  be  the  proper  thing  for  officers 
on  the  staff.  At  any  rate,  do  nothing  till  I  tell  you.  When 
it  is  necessary  you  should  have  a  horse,  I  will  buy  one  for 
you." 

Having  arranged  this  matter,  Yorke  remained  with  his 
regiment  until  the  evening.  There  was  nothing  for  him  to 
change  in  his  uniform,  except  to  fasten  metal  badges  show- 
ing the  number  and  name  of  the  regiment  to  his  shoulder- 
strap.  He  could  not  obtain  the  red  tabs  which  were  the 
badge  of  the  staff  for  the  collar  of  his  jacket.  After  dinner 
he  rode  back  to  head-quarters,  where  he  found  that  a  room 
had  been  got  ready  for  him. 

Troops  were  now  arriving.  The  12th  Lancers  had  come 
up,  and  a  battery  of  Horse  Artillery.  The  Highland  Brigade, 
consisting  of  the  2nd  Black  Watch,  1st  Gordons,  2nd  Sea- 
forths,  and  the  1st  Highland  Light  Infantry,  next  day,  came 


206  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA. 

into  camp,  and  the  artillery  were  further  reinforced  by  four 
howitzers.  The  line  of  communications  had  been  strength- 
ened by  the  Canadians,  Australians,  and  several  line  regi- 
ments being  posted  along  the  railway  from  De  Aar  to  Bel- 
mont. 

On  the  9th  the  Horse  Artillery,  9th  Lancers,  and  the  heavy 
naval  guns  moved  forward  and  opened  fire  on  the  stony  hills 
that  constituted  the  Boer  positions.  All  day  the  guns 
thundered,  searching  out  every  rock  behind  which  it  was 
thought  the  Boers  might  be  lurking.  The  naval  guns  dis- 
tributed their  heavy  shell  broadcast,  the  great  clouds  of 
yellow  smoke  showing  where  the  lyddite  charges  had  burst. 
But  the  Boers  made  no  reply.  Not  a  gun  spoke  out  in 
return,  not  a  Boer  was  visible  on  the  face  of  the  hills — noth- 
ing showed  where  their  artillery  was,  or  where  their  trenches 
stretched.  All  in  the  camp  were  filled  with  excitement.  It 
was  certain  that  the  time  was  at  hand  when  they  would 
meet  the  foe  in  strength  face  to  face,  and,  formidable  as 
was  the  position,  no  one  doubted  the  result.  At  the  same 
time  the  silence  of  the  enemy,  the  uncertainty  as  to  their 
strength  and  position,  could  not  but  inspire  a  certain  feeling 
of  uneasiness. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  10th  the  Black  Watch,  Seaforths, 
Argyle  and  Sutherlands,  and  Highland  Light  Infantry  moved 
out.  The  Gordons  had  only  come  in  that  morning,  and  re- 
mained in  camp.  The  9th  Lancers,  mounted  infantry,  and 
all  the  artillery  accompanied  the  force.  When  within  three 
miles  of  the  enemy's  position  the  force  halted.  -  It  was 
raining  heavily,  but  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  lie 
down  upon  the  wet  ground,  with  one  blanket  for  every  two 
men.  At  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  they  were  on  their  feet 
again. 

The  position  held  by  the  Boers  was  of  great  strength.  The 
centre,  Scholtz  Kop,  was  very  steep  and  lofty;  it  was  close 
to  the  line  of  railway,  and  Spytfontein  station  lay  at  its 
foot.  So  strong  did  it  appear,  and  furnished,  as  it  doubt- 


MAGERSFONTEIN  207 

less  was,  with  artillery,  it  could  only  have  been  carried  with 
immense  loss.  Some  distance  to  the  left  were  the  Magers- 
fontein  kopjes,  less  forbidding  and  rough  than  those  of  Spyt- 
fontein,  and  from  these  to  the  river  stretched  a  low  hill, 
covered  with  bush  from  eight  to  ten  feet  high.  Magersfon- 
tein  once  taken  would  render  this  hill  untenable,  and  would 
enable  Scholtz  Kop  to  be  taken  in  flank  or  rear.  It  was 
therefore  against  this  point  that  the  attack  by  the  Highland 
Brigade,  under  General  Wauchope,  was  to  be  made. 

It  was  pitch  dark  when  the  column  started — so  dark  that 
it  was  considered  impossible  for  the  men  to  keep  touch  with 
each  other  marching  in  line,  and  accordingly  they  moved 
in  mass  of  quarter  columns.  Strangely  enough,  not  a  single 
scout  was  thrown  out  ahead,  probably  because  the  general 
thought  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  follow  them  in  the 
dark,  and  moreover,  that,  should  they  come  upon  the  Boers 
suddenly  and  fire  be  opened,  the  attack  by  surprise  would 
be  altogether  spoiled,  and  the  Boers  be  fully  prepared  before 
the  main  body  could  arrive.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  had 
the  usual  precautions  been  adopted  the  catastrophe  that  fol- 
lowed would  have  been  avoided.  Slowly  feeling  their  way 
along,  the  great  column,  four  thousand  strong,  moved  on 
silently.  The  men  were  drenched  to  the  skin,  hungry,  in 
doubt  as  to  the  nature  of  the  position  they  had  to  attack, 
and  oppressed  by  the  darkness  and  strangeness  of  the  situ- 
ation. 

They  were  still  some  distance  from  the  hill  when  orders 
were  given  for  the  column  to  open  out  into  line;  but  instead 
of  being1,  as  their  commander  believed,  a  good  half  mile 
from  the  enemy's  lines,  they  were  within  two  hundred  yards 
of  them,  for  the  Boers  had,  with  great  craft  and  ability,  dug 
a  great  trench  along  the  whole  face  of  their  position  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  out  on  the  plain.  No  suspicion  had  been 
entertained  in  our  camp  of  the  existence  of  this  defence, 
and  the  Highlanders  had  marched  unsuspectingly  into  the 
trap.  As  they  were  in  the  act  of  opening  out,  with  the  Black 


208          WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Watch  in  the  centre,  the  Seaforths  to  the  left,  the  Argyle 
and  Sutherlands  to  the  right,  and  the  Highland  Light  In- 
fantry in  reserve,  a  light  was  flashed  on  their  left  hy  one 
of  the  Boers,  who  had  probably  kept  near  the  column  as  it 
advanced.  In  an  instant  a  blaze  of  fire  ran  along  the  whole 
front,  and  a  storm  of  bullets  smote  the  column.  It  told  most 
heavily  upon  the  Black  Watch.  For  half  a  minute  the  roar 
of  musketry  was  unceasing,  then  for  a  moment  it  ceased. 
The  Boers  had  emptied  the  magazines  of  their  rifles. 

It  was  but  a  temporary  pause,  for  in  a  few  seconds  the  fire 
again  burst  out.  The  loss  among  the  Black  Watch  had 
already  been  frightful.  General  Wauchope  had  fallen,  to- 
gether with  a  large  number  of  the  officers,  and  although  at 
first  the  men  had  prepared  to  charge,  it  was  impossible  to 
withstand  the  fire,  and  they  ran  back,  spreading  confusion 
in  the  ranks  of  the  Seaforths,  who  were  still  behind  them. 
The  latter,  however,  remained  steady.  They  had  naturally 
suffered  less  heavily  than  the  corps  in  front  of  them,  and 
they  stood  their  ground,  lying  down  and  returning  the  fire 
of  their  hidden  foes.  The  Black  Watch  halted  and  lay  down 
behind  them.  As  time  went  on  the  troops  managed  gradu- 
ally to  extend,  two  companies  of  the  Seaforths  moving  out 
to  the  right,  while  the  Argyle  and  Sutherlands,  and  the 
Highland  Light  Infantry  crept  farther  still  to  the  right  in 
hopes  of  being  able  to  open  a  flanking  fire  on  the  enemy. 

But  these  movements  were  not  executed  without  heavy 
loss.  Twice  the  Seaforths  sprang  to  their  feet  and  advanced 
by  rushes  at  the  trenches.  Some  even  made  their  way  to 
within  a  few  yards  of  them.  But  it  was  light  now.  The 
officers  were  shot  down  and  the  men  decimated,  and  each 
time  the  survivors  sullenly  fell  back.  For  three  hours  they 
lay  upon  the  ground  near  the  spot  where  they  had  been  at- 
tacked. No  help  came  to  them,  for  incomprehensibly  this 
brigade  had  been  sent  forward  alone,  and  without  reserves, 
to  attack  the  whole  force  of  the  Boers  in  an  immensely 
strong  position.  Some  of  the  artillery  had,  however,  ad- 


MAGEESFONTEIN  209 

vanced  with  great  boldness,  and  their  fire  to  some  extent 
relieved  the  pressure.  The  Boers  had  now  pushed  along  the 
low  bush-covered  hill  between  Magersfontein  and  the  river, 
and  had  opened  a  flanking  fire  on  the  Highlanders.  At  seven 
o'clock  Lord  Airlie  brought  up  the  12th  Lancers,  dismounted 
two  squadrons,  and,  aided  by  a  battery  of  horse  artillery, 
who  pressed  forward  to  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the 
fighting  line,  and  took  up  their  position  on  the  right  of 
the  Highland  Brigade,  to  some  extent  checked  the  fire  from 
that  quarter. 

Two  hours  later  the  brigade  of  Guards  came  up.  Two 
battalions  of  the  Coldstreams  occupied  the  ground  next  to 
the  dismounted  men.  The  Grenadiers  prolonged  the  line 
until  they  were  in  touch  with  the  Yorkshires,  who  were 
guarding  the  drift  across  the  Modder  River.  The  other 
half  battalion  took  up  a  post  by  the  three  batteries,  which 
had  stationed  themselves  in  rear  of  the  Highland  Brigade. 
Still  farther  to  the  left  was  the  naval  gun  near  the  rail- 
way, which  was  protected  from  an  attack  in  that  direction 
by  the  Northamptons,  while  a  Howitzer  battery  further  in 
advance  joined  it  in  maintaining  a  heavy  cannonade.  At 
mid-day  the  Gordons  arrived  to  support  the  Highlanders, 
who  all  these  hours  were  lying  within  two  or  three  hundred 
yards  of  the  Boer  trenches  unable  to  move,  while  their  foes 
were  unwilling  to  risk  taking  the  offensive.  They  had  sev- 
eral times  threatened  to  do  so,  but  the  fire  of  the  Horse 
Artillery  guns  had  each  time  caused  them  to  abandon  their 
intention. 

At  two  in  the  afternoon  the  Boer  fire,  which  had  some- 
what slackened,  again  broke  out  fiercely  to  the  left.  It 
appeared  that  an  attacking  force  was  at  hand,  and  the  men 
of  the  Highland  Brigade,  parched  with  thirst,  unnerved  by 
the  fearful  ordeal  they  had  gone  through,  burned  and  blis- 
tered by  the  sun,  staggered  back,  losing  heavily,  and  little 
by  little  retired  until  they  reached  the  line  of  the  guns, 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  their  rear.  They  straggled  in  in 

(M839)  O 


210  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

groups,  regiments  mixed  up  together.  Here  they  halted,  and 
the  few  officers  who  remained  alive  did  their  utmost  to  re- 
store order  and  cohesion.  Not  until  five  o'clock  in  the  af-> 
ternoon  was  this  accomplished,  when,  just  as  they  were  about 
to  advance  again,  the  Boer  batteries,  which  had  strangely 
enough  been  silent  all  day,  opened  fire.  A  shell  exploded  a 
short  distance  away  from  the  brigade,  and  at  once  they  broke 
down  again.  The  officers  in  vain  endeavoured  to  restrain 
them;  the  men  could  not  be  rallied  until  they  reached  the 
field  hospital  camp. 

For  once  nature  had  overcome  the  dauntless  spirit  of  some 
of  the  finest  soldiers  in  the  world.  For  thirteen  hours  they 
had  been  under  a  tremendous  fire;  during  that  time  they  had 
been  practically  without  orders.  Their  beloved  general  had 
fallen,  together  with  many  of  the  senior  officers;  but  even  if 
these  had  lived  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  send  orders 
from  point  to  point,  or  to  arrange  for  any  general  action, 
since  the  slightest  movement  of  position  was  certain  to  at- 
tract a  rain  of  bullets.  They  were,  in  fact,  bewildered  and 
dazed  by  the  roar  of  musketry  so  terrible  and  unexpected, 
the  heavy  losses,  the  impossibility  of  movement,  still  more 
of  getting  at  their  foesi  Their  inability  to  do  aught  but 
suffer  had  broken  them  down.  It  speaks  highly  indeed  for 
the  discipline  and  courage  of  these  soldiers  that  at  Paarde- 
berg  they  should  have  entirely  recovered  their  morale,  and 
have  shown  their  old  conspicuous  bravery,  unsurpassed  by 
that  of  any  other  regiment. 

The  brigade  of  Guards  maintained  their  position  all  night. 
They  had  covered  the  retreat  of  the  Highlanders,  and  now 
prevented  the  Boers  from  taking  the  offensive,  and  held  their 
post  until  they  were  next  morning  recalled  to  camp.  They 
then  drew  off,  suffering  somewhat  severely  as  they  did  so, 
under  a  heavy  artillery  fire. 

The  losses  in  the  Highland  Brigade  were  fifteen  officers 
and  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  men  killed,  thirty-one  offi- 
cers, four  hundred  and  twenty-one  men  wounded,  two  officers 


A  PBISONEB  211 

and  one  hundred  and  ten  men  missing.  The  Boer  loss  was 
caused  almost  entirely  by  our  artillery  fire,  as  some  of  the 
guns  had  been  able  to  sweep  portions  of  their  trenches.  Their 
official  account  gave  it  as  seventy  killed  and  two  hundred 
and  three  wounded,  but  an  intercepted  letter  placed  it  very 
much  higher,  and  reported  their  loss  at  from  twelve  hundred 
to  fifteen  hundred. 


CHAPTER  XH 

A  PRISONER 

IT  was  a  dreary  time  in  camp  during  the  two  days  when 
the  operation  of  collecting  and  burying  the  dead  was 
going  on.  The  stillness  which  prevailed  was  in  strong  con- 
trast with  the  activity  and  cheerfulness  which  reigned  be- 
fore the  battle.  Then  the  men  had  joked  and  laughed  in 
anticipation  of  the  success  they  confidently  expected,  now 
they  moved  about  silently.  Not  only  were  they  grieving  over 
the  heavy  losses,  and  sympathizing  deeply  with  the  Highland 
regiments,  which  had  suffered  so  terribly,  but  all  felt  that 
the  attempt  could  not  be  renewed,  and  that  they  were 
doomed  to  a  long  period  of  inaction  until  large  reinforce- 
ments could  arrive. 

General  Gatacre  had  suffered  a  very  heavy  reverse  at 
Stormberg  on  the  day  before  Magersfontein  was  fought.  He 
had  made  a  long  night  march  in  hopes  of  surprising  the 
Boers,  but  by  the  treachery  or  ignorance  of  his  guides,  and 
the  fact  that  the  Boers  had  been  apprised  of  his  intention 
by  rebel  sympathizers,  he  had  himself  fallen  into  an  ambush. 
Everything  had,  indeed,  from  the  first,  gone  wrong.  The 
intention  of  the  general  had  been  allowed  to  leak  out  two 
days  previously,  and  thus  the  large  portion  of  the  popula- 
tion who  were  disloyal  had  ample  time  to  warn  the  Boers 
at  Stormberg.  The  trucks  in  which  the  troops  were  to  be 


212  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOKIA 

conveyed  as  far  as  Molteno  were  not  assembled  at  the  time 
named,  and  two  hours  were  therefore  lost.  A  portion  of 
the  column  missed  their  way  in  the  dark,  and  were  miles 
distant  from  the  main  force  when  the  fight  began.  Lastly, 
instead  of  the  troops  being  allowed  perfect  rest  during  the 
day  before  starting  on  an  expedition  which  demanded  all 
their  strength  and  vigour,  they  had  been  up  early,  and  spent 
hours  under  arms,  going  through  the  fatigue  of  a  field  day; 
and  so  worn-out  were  they  when  the  time  for  action  arrived; 
that  many  fell  asleep  while  the  battle  was  raging. 

Thus,  as  the  Boers  were  posted  in  an  inaccessible  position, 
the  action  was  a  massacre  rather  than  a  fight,  and  had  it  not 
been  for  the  splendid  bravery  of  the  artillerymen,  the  whole 
force  would  have  been  killed  or  forced  to  surrender.  The 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  not  great,  the  casualties  being1 
tinder  one  hundred,  but  six  hundred  men  of  the  Irish  Kifles 
and  the  Northumberlands  were  taken  prisoners,  and  two 
guns  lost.  The  large  number  of  captives  was  due  to  two 
causes.  First,  in  their  attempt  to  get  at  the  enemy,  some  of 
the  troops  had  climbed  the  rock  to  a  point  where  further 
advance  was  impossible,  and  retreat,  under  the  tremendous 
fire  maintained  upon  them,  meant  certain  death.  Secondly, 
many  were  overpowered  by  fatigue  and  want  of  sleep,  stag- 
gered out  of  the  ranks  during  the  retreat,  and,  dropping  on 
the  ground,  slept  until  they  woke  to  find  themselves  pris- 
oners. 

There  was  yet  further  bad  news  to  come,  for,  four  days 
after  Magersfontein,  Buller  was  defeated  in  his  attempt  to 
force  the  Boer  lines,  guns  were  lost,  and  there  was  a  heavy 
death-roll.  It  was  no  consolation  to  the  men  who  had  fought 
at  Magersfontein  to  know  that  they  were  not  alone  in  mis- 
fortune, and  that  similar  reverses  had  been  encountered  in 
Natal  and  Cape  Colony. 

The  question  that  each  asked  the  other  was,  What  would 
they  say  in  England?  Would  the  same  craven  policy  that 
had  prevailed  after  Majuba  be  adopted,  and  another  sur- 


A  PBISONEB  213 

render  be  made  to  the  Boers?  or  would  the  nation  show  the 
energy  that  had  in  old  times  been  evinced  when  danger  was 
greatest,  and  rise  to  the  occasion?  Even  in  that  case,  many 
weeks  must  elapse  before  sufficient  reinforcements  could 
arrive  from  England  to  enable  them  to  take  the  offensive 
again;  for  that  another  advance  against  the  Boer  position 
was  impossible  even  the  most  sanguine  had  to  admit. 

The  whole  force  were  now  gathered  on  the  Modder,  and 
they  had  no  fear  that  the  Boers  would  be  able  to  drive  them 
from  it.  But  this  was  but  a  poor  consolation.  All  were 
burning  to  retrieve  the  last  defeat,  and  it  was  gall  and 
wormwood  to  know  that  they  would  be  forced  to  remain  in- 
active. In  the  camp  of  the  Scottish  regiments  the  feeling 
was  bitter  in  the  extreme.  Now  that  the  long  agony  of  the 
conflict,  which  had  broken  down  the  nerve  of  the  strongest, 
was  over,  they  felt  that  they  had  to  some  extent  tarnished 
the  reputation  of  regiments  which  had  hitherto  been  without 
a  blemish,  and  the  blame  was  thrown  by  them,  not  on  the 
general  whom  they  so  loved,  but  upon  Lord  Methuen.  The 
imputation  was  an  unfounded  one.  The  task  before  Lord 
Methuen  was  one  of  enormous  difficulty.  The  point  he  had 
selected  for  attack  was  the  best  that  could  have  been  chosen. 
The  only  fault  committed  by  him  was,  that  he  did  not  risk 
the  lives  of  a  few  mounted  men,  by  sending  small  parties 
out  to  reconnoitre  the  veldt  to  the  foot  of  the  kopjes,  in 
order  to  discover  the  exact  position  of  the  Boer  trenches. 

His  instructions  had  been  clear.  The  force  was  to  advance 
to  within  attacking  position  of  the  kopjes,  and  there  to  halt 
until  daybreak.  The  arrangements  for  the  advance  of  the 
brigade  were,  as  always,  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  brig'a- 
dier.  It  was  for  him  to  send  the  advance  guards  to  feel  the 
way,  and  for  him  to  order  the  heavy  column  to  deploy 
into  open  order.  These  precautions  were  not  taken  by  Gen- 
eral Wauchope.  A  trap  had  been  set,  and  he  fell  into  that 
trap  without  taking  any  of  the  usual  precautions,  and  he 
atoned  for  the  mistake  with  his  life.  To  the  gallant  regi- 


214  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

merits  themselves  no  blame  can  be  attributable  for  their  fail- 
ure. It  is  true  that  they  broke  down  under  the  strain,  but 
it  may  be  doubted  whether  any  soldiers  in  the  world  could 
have  withstood  it  better.  The  surprise  had  been  complete, 
and  nearly  five  hundred  men  had  fallen  in  a  few  minutes 
under  that  terrible  fire,  to  which  they  could  make  no  effect- 
ive reply.  They  had  maintained  themselves  all  day  under 
a  blazing  sun,  with  the  ground  round  them  torn  up  by  bullets, 
and  the  slightest  movement  entailing  certain  death.  Their 
consequent  depression  of  spirits  was  increased  by  the  ex- 
haustion due  to  want  of  food  and  water.  A  great  propor- 
tion of  their  officers  had  fallen,  and  there  was  no  one  to  give 
them  orders.  It  was  not  wonderful,  then,  that  their  nerves 
failed  them,  and  that,  when  at  the  end  of  that  awful  day 
they  gathered,  the  bursting  of  a  shell  near  should  have  scat- 
tered like  sheep  soldiers  who,  in  other  circumstances,  would 
have  marched  up  to  a  cannon's  mouth  without  flinching.  It 
must  be  remembered,  too,  that  the  conduct  of  the  Gordons, 
and  the  splendid  bravery  they  showed,  went  far  in  itself 
to  retrieve  the  high  reputation  of  the  Highland  regiments. 
Three  days  after  Magersfontein,  General  Pole-Carew  said 
to  Yorke:  "An  officer  with  a  patrol  is  going  down  the  line 
to  Graspan  to  see  that  the  rails  are  clear  for  the  train  o 
wounded  that  will  start  later.  I  shall  be  obliged  if  you  wil 
go  with  them,  and  carry  a  despatch  from  Lord  Methuen 
giving  particulars  of  the  wounded  who  will  come  in  by  the 
train,  and  ordering  medical  comforts  and  fatigue  parties  to 
be  in  readiness;  also  a  second  despatch,  with  orders  to  the 
officer  commanding  there.  After  the  attack  they  made  on 
Belmont  a  few  days  ago,  it  is  highly  necessary  to  take  every 
precaution  against  an  attack  at  Graspan  by  the  Boers  from 
Jacobsdal.  They  are  sure  to  be  more  active  after  their 
success  here." 

"Very  well,  sir.    When  does  the  party  start?" 

"  In  half  an  hour's  time.    The  despatches  will  be  ready  for 

you  in  ten  minutes.     When  you  have  received  the  reply 


A  PBISONEB  215 

you  need  not  wait  for  the  party  to  return,  but  ride  straight 
back." 

"Very  good,  sir;  I  will  return  here  in  a  quarter  of  an 
hour." 

"  Hans,  I  want  my  horse  saddled  at  once,"  Yorke  said,  as 
he  joined  his  follower. 

"  Yes,  Master  Yorke.    Am  I  to  saddle  my  own  too  ? " 

"  No.  I  am  only  riding  to  Graspan  with  a  despatch,  and 
am  joining  a  party  who  are  going  there  to  see  that  the  line 
is  in  good  order.  I  shall  be  back  to  dinner." 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  Yorke,  having1  received  his  des- 
patches, rode  off  to  the  camp  of  the  Lancers.  The  party  was 
already  prepared  for  a  start.  It  consisted  of  an  officer  and 
twelve  men.  The  former  was  already  known  to  Yorke. 

"  I  heard  that  you  were  going  with  us,  Harberton,"  he 
said,  as  Yorke  rode  up.  "I  shall  be  glad  of  your  company. 
It  is  dull  work  riding  alone,  especially  when  you  have  noth- 
ing to  do  but  see  that  the  rails  have  not  been  torn  up  in  the 
night." 

"I  don't  suppose  there  is  much  fear  of  that,"  Yorke  re- 
plied, "  for  if  the  Boers  had  been  there,  they  would  have 
been  sure  to  cut  the  telegraph  wire,  and  they  have  not  done 
so.  I  know  that  messages  have  been  exchanged  this  morn- 
ing." 

"  If  they  can  communicate,"  the  officer  said,  "  I  don't  see 
why  you  should  have  been  sent  with  a  despatch." 

"  The  lines  and  wires  are  so  fully  occupied  by  messages 
to  De  Aar  and  to  the  Cape,  and  backwards  and  forwards 
between  the  general  and  the  home  authorities,  that  they  can- 
not be  spared  for  details  to  Graspan;  and  personally,  I 
would  much  rather  be  cantering  over  there  and  back  than  be 
idle  in  camp." 

"  That  is  just  my  feeling,"  the  other  said.  "  I  am  afraid 
that  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  we  have  much  to  do  here. 
However,  there  is  one  comfort,  we  shall  have  a  chance  to  get 
supplies  from  the  base.  They  would  not  let  us  telegraph^ 


216  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PEETOBIA 

so  we  have  sent  a  man  down  to  Cape  Town  with  a  long  list 
of  orders.  Whether  or  not  we  shall  get  them  through,  I 
don't  know.  Now,  if  you  are  ready,  I  will  start." 

The  order  was  given,  and  the  party  rode  off  at  a  trot. 

"  One  feels  quite  glad  to  get  out  of  camp,"  the  officer  said. 
"  Everyone  is  so  completely  in  the  dumps  that  it  is  down- 
right misery  to  remain  there.  However,  I  don't  expect  it 
will  last  very  long.  We  shall  cheer  up  a  bit  if  we  hear  that 
the  people  at  home  are  not  disheartened,  and  are  going  to 
send  out  a  big  lot  of  troops  and  carry  the  thing  through, 
whatever  it  costs." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  they  will,"  Yorke  said.  "  It  is  not  often 
we  back  down  because  we  have  had  a  heavy  blow.  Look  how 
we  buckled  to  at  the  time  of  the  Mutiny." 

"  I  sincerely  hope  so,"  the  officer  said ;  "  but  one  can  never 
feel  sure  after  the  way  we  surrendered  to  the  Boers  before. 
It  makes  one  sick  to  think  of  it  even  now.  Still,  three  such 
blows  as  they  have  had  in  the  course  of  a  week  are  pretty 
hard  to  bear.  However,  let  us  hope  that  the  whole  country 
will  harden  their  hearts  and  determine  that  the  thing  must 
be  carried  through." 

So  talking,  they  rode  along  until  they  came  to  a  spot 
where  the  foot  of  one  of  the  hills  extended  almost  up  to 
the  line.  Then  there  was  a  sudden  shout.  Some  fifty  Boers 
rose  from  behind  the  rocks,  and  a  heavy  volley  was  poured 
into  the  little  party.  The  officer  in  command  and  seven  of 
the  troopers  fell.  Yorke's  horse  went  down  suddenly,  shot 
through  the  head,  and  the  other  five  troopers  galloped  on 
at  full  speed,  the  Boers  keeping  up  an  incessant  fire  upon 
them.  Three  fell,  and  but  two  rode  on  to  Graspan.  Yorke's 
leg  was  pinned  under  his  fallen  horse,  and  he  made  no 
effort  to  rise,  for  he  knew  that  any  motion  would  draw  a 
dozen  rifle-shots  on  him.  When  the  firing  had  ceased  the 
Boers  came  down. 

"  I  surrender,"  Yorke  said,  as  the  first  came  up  to  him. 

"Are  you  wounded?" 


A  PBISONEB  217 

"No,  except  that  my  leg  feels  crushed  under  my  horse. 
I  would  rather  have  been  wounded  myself  than  have  lost 
him." 

"  You  will  have  no  occasion  for  him  at  present,"  the  Boer 
said;  and,  calling  two  or  three  others  to  him,  they  raised  the 
horse  sufficiently  to  be  able  to  drag  Yorke  out. 

"  The  others  are  all  dead,"  one  of  the  Boers  said.  "  Some 
of  them  got  half  a  dozen  bullets  through  them.  This  is  an 
officer,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  Yorke  replied,  "  I  am  a  subaltern  in  the  9th  Lan- 
cers, you  can  see  the  number  on  my  shoulder-strap;  and  I 
carry  a  field-glass  and  revolver  as  well  as  a  rifle." 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"Yorke  Harberton." 

"Can  you  walk?" 

"  I  don't  think  I  can  at  present,"  Yorke  said,  "  but  I  may 
be  able  to  do  so  presently." 

"That  won't  do,"  the  man  said.  "We  shall  be  having 
some  of  the  cavalry  from  Graspan  on  us,  as  the  two  men, 
who  have  got  away  will  ride  there  with  the  news.  How- 
ever, we  have  got  spare  ponies  behind  the  hill  here.  Two 
of  you  take  this  youngster,  and  carry  him.  I  suppose  you 
were  not  in  command  here  ? "  he  went  on,  as  two  men  lifted 
Yorke  from  the  ground  and  carried  him  off. 

"  No,  that  officer  was  in  command." 

"I  see  he  is  older  than  you.  I  suppose  he  was  taking 
some  message  to  Graspan  ? " 

"  He  did  not  tell  me,"  Yorke  answered  truthfully,  "  and  it 
was  not  my  business  to  ask  him;  but  of  course  he  must  have 
had  some  orders.  More  troops  are  coming  along — three  or 
four  hundred,  I  believe." 

"  Then,  there  is  no  time  to  lose.  Hurry  on,  men !  I 
will  see  if  the  officer  has  any  despatches  on  him." 

He  rejoined  the  party  just  as  they  reached  the  ponies. 

"Not  a  scrap  of  paper  of  any  sort,"  he  said.  "He  can 
only  have  had  verbal  orders.  It  won't  do  for  us  to  carry  out 


218  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

the  business  we  came  here  for,  for  they  might  be  upon  us 
before  we  had  time  to  pull  up  half  a  dozen  rails,  and  were 
we  to  try  it  they  might  catch  us  before  we  had  time  to  get 
away.  At  any  rate,  we  have  done  a  good  morning's  work — 
ten  men  and  an  officer;  we  have  got  a  prisoner,  two  pairs 
of  field-glasses,  two  revolvers,  and  ten  carbines." 

Three  hours'  riding  took  the  party  to  Jacobsdal.  Yorke's 
leg  had  hurt  a  good  deal  on  starting,  but  the  pain  had  to  a 
great  extent  gone  off  before  reaching  the  town,  and  now  he 
found  he  could  walk.  He  had  managed,  as  he  rode,  to  tear 
up  the  despatches  he  had  received,  and  had,  one  by  one, 
chewed  up  the  pieces  and  swallowed  them.  They  could,  even 
if  discovered,  have  done  no  harm  now;  but  had  they  been 
found  at  first,  the  Boers  would  no  doubt  have  torn  up  the 
line,  and  might  have  caused  an  accident  that  would  have 
been  fatal  to  many  of  the  wounded.  Had  he  been  asked 
the  question,  he  must  have  produced  them;  but  regarding 
him  only  as  a  young  subaltern,  they  had  not  thought  for  a 
moment  that,  going  with  a  senior  officer,  he  would  be  trusted 
with  despatches.  He  was,  however,  glad  when  he  got  rid 
of  the  last  fragment,  and  still  more  so  when,  on  being  placed 
in  the  guard-room,  he  was  searched  from  head  to  foot.  He 
was  supplied  with  food  and  treated  with  some  consideration 
by  the  Boers,  who  were  in  high  spirits  at  the  three  great 
successes  they  had  gained. 

"  Why  don't  your  soldiers  give  it  up  ? "  one  of  them  asked 
him.  "  They  must  see  by  this  time  that  they  are  no  good 
against  us.  We  would  allow  them  to  go  down  to  the  coast 
and  embark  on  board  ship  without  molesting  them." 

"  There  is  an  old  saying  with  us,"  Torke  replied,  "  that  a 
British  soldier  never  knows  when  he  is  beaten;  and  though 
certainly  we  have  been  unfortunate  lately,  I  can  assure  you 
that  the  idea  that  we  are  beaten  for  good  has  not  occurred 
to  any  of  us.  We  are  angry  at  our  defeats,  but  in  no  way 
disheartened.  We  consider  that  the  war  has  only  just  begun 
yet,  and  have  no  doubt  that  twice  as  many  men  as  are  in 


A  PRISONER  219 

South  Africa  now,  will  be  sent  out  as  soon  as  the  ships  can 
be  got  ready  for  them." 

"  Poor  fellows !  "  the  Boer  said.  "  We  hear  that  they  have 
to  be  made  drunk  to  get  them  on  board  ship,  and  those  that 
won't  drink  have  to  be  ironed." 

"  I  am  afraid,"  Yorke  said,  "  that  you  hear  a  great  many 
lies,  and  you  may  be  quite  sure  that  that  is  one  of  them. 
I  can  tell  you  the  last  news  we  had  was  that  the  Militia 
regiments,  which  are  only  raised  for  home  service,  and  some 
even  of  the  Volunteers,  have  sent  in  applications  asking  to 
be  allowed  to  come  out  on  service." 

"  Ah !  they  don't  know  what  is  before  them,  poor  lads ! 
Either  death,  or,  if  they  escape  that,  imprisonment  till  the 
war  is  over  and  we  allow  them  to  go  away.  I  do  not  say 
that  your  soldiers  are  not  brave.  They  astonished  us  at 
Belmont  and  Graspan.  But  those  were  mere  skirmishes." 

"  But  we  crossed  the  Modder  in  your  teeth." 

"Yes,"  the  Boer  admitted  reluctantly,  "it  looked  like  it; 
but  we  did  not  want  to  stop  you  altogether  there,  only  to 
encourage  you  to  march  against  our  real  position  at  Spyt- 
fontein.  We  knew  you  had  no  chance  there,  and  intended 
to  annihilate  you." 

"  Yes,  but  you  did  not  do  it,"  Yorke  said  with  a  smile. 
"We  suffered  heavily  from  blundering  up  against  your 
trenches,  of  whose  existence  we  knew  nothing;  but  there 
was  no  annihilation  about  it.  It  is  the  opinion  of  many  that 
if  we  had  pushed  forward  all  along  the  line  in  the  after- 
noon, we  should  have  won  the  position;  at  any  rate,  your 
men  were  very  careful  not  to  make  a  counter  attack." 

"We  are  only  waiting  for  Ladysmith  and  Kimberley  to 
fall,"  the  Boer  said;  "then  we  shall  all  advance  into  Cape 
Colony,  break  up  the  railways,  and,  joined  by  the  whole  of 
the  Dutch  people,  sweep  all  before  us  to  Cape  Town." 

"It  is  a  good  programme,"  Yorke  agreed;  "but  neither 
Ladysmith  nor  Kimberley  have  fallen  yet." 

"They  cannot  hold  out  much  longer,"  the  man  replied. 


220  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"When  the  people  of  Kimberley  learn  that  help  has  failed 
to  come  to  them,  they  will  not  be  fools  enough  to  starve  any 
longer.  As  for  Ladysmith,  it  is  as  good  as  taken;  the 
garrison  cannot  hold  out  many  days  longer.  Then  Joube/t 
will  advance  with  his  whole  army,  and  drive  Buller  down  to 
the  ships  at  Durban." 

"  Well,  we  shall  see,"  Yorke  said.  "  We  are  not  likely  to 
convince  each  other.  Where  do  you  send  your  prisoners  to  ? " 

"To  Pretoria.  A  good  many  of  them  are  already  there 
— seven  or  eight  hundred  from  Natal,  six  hundred  from 
Stonnberg — and  this  is  only  the  beginning.  We  have  a  few 
others  we  picked  up  here ;  I  expect  you  will  all  be  sent  off  in 
a  day  or  two.  I  don't  think  you  will  be  badly  off  at  first; 
but  when  we  get  Buller's  men  and  the  men  here,  safely  stowed 
away,  you  will  hardly  be  as  well  off,  for  I  should  say  that 
there  will  be  a  difficulty  in  getting  provisions  for  twenty 
thousand  men  or  so.  But  perhaps  there  won't  be  so  many, 
for  I  hear  that  we  have  killed  over  twenty  thousand,  and 
we  have  only  lost  twenty  or  thirty  men." 

"  But  I  should  think  that  at  least  you  here  cannot  believe 
the  last  item,"  Yorke  said.  "  Something  like  a  hundred 
bodies  have  been  fished  out  of  the  Modder,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  that  a  still  greater  number  were  carried  off  the  field. 
I  don't  say  that  you  lost  as  heavily  as  we  did;  but  when  I 
say  that  you  had  two  hundred  killed,  without  counting 
Magersfontein,  I  feel  sure  that  I  am  under  the  mark." 

"  Oh !  there  may  be  some  mistake  about  the  thirty,"  the 
Boer  said  with  a  grim  smile.  "  Still,  you  have  certainly  lost 
a  great  many  more  than  we  have ;  even  at  Belmont  and  Gras- 
pan,  though  you  did  turn  us  out  of  our  kopjes,  you  lost  at 
least  five  to  our  one." 

"  That  may  be  true  enough.  But  a  force  attacking  across 
the  open  must  always  lose  more  than  men  who  shoot  them 
down  from  behind  rocks,  and  who  have  their  horses  close  by 
on  which  they  can  gallop  away  as  soon  as  they  find  that  they 


A  PRISONER  221 

are  getting  the  worst  of  it.  If  we  ever  get  you  in  the  open 
I  fancy  that  your  losses  will  be  as  heavy  as  ours." 

"  We  should  be  fools  if  we  let  you,"  the  Boer  said.  "  We 
are  too  slim  for  that.  We  fight  on  our  own  ground." 

"Yes;  but  if  you  invade  Cape  Colony,  as  you  talk  about, 
we  shall  be  fighting  on  ground  of  our  choosing,  and  you  will 
find  out  the  difference  then." 

Three  days  later  Yorke  started,  with  some  fifteen  other 
prisoners,  one  of  whom  was  an  officer,  for  Bloemfontein. 
They  were  placed  in  light  carts  and  guarded  by  twenty  Boers 
on  horseback.  The  officer,  who  had  been  captured  a  fort- 
night before,  said  to  Yorke  after  they  had  introduced  them- 
selves to  each  other: 

"I  am  glad  to  meet  someone  who  can  give  me  a  true  ac- 
count of  what  has  taken  place  since  I  was  captured.  Of 
course  I  did  not  believe  the  Boer  reports,  but  they  were  seri- 
ous enough  to  make  me  feel  very  uneasy,  for  if  there  were 
any  truth  in  them,  even  allowing  for  exaggeration,  it  cer- 
tainly seemed  that  we  must  have  been  awfully  cut  up." 

"  The  casualties  have  been  heavy,  but  certainly  not  greater 
than  would  be  expected,  considering  that  the  Boers  held  very 
strong  positions,  from  which  we  turned  them  out  three  times. 
The  fourth  time,  however,  our  attack  failed.  I  can't  tell  you 
exactly  the  number  of  casualties,  but  I  do  not  think  alto- 
gether they  exceeded  one  thousand  six  hundred,  and  of  these 
nearly  a  thousand  occurred  in  the  last  fight." 

He  then  gave  a  full  account  of  each  battle. 

"  Thank  you.  It  is  bad  enough  that  we  have  been  stopped, 
and  shall  not  be  able  to  -move  again  until  reinforcements 
come  up;  still,  it  is  not  so  bad  as  I  feared.  We  certainly 
underrated  the  fighting  power  of  the  Boers;  and  the  foreign 
engineer,  who  directs  the  making  of  their  entrenchments, 
must  be  a  very  clever  fellow,  for  that  plan  of  making  the 
trench  well  out  in  the  plain  in  front  of  their  kopjes  was  a 
capital  one,  and  as  far  as  I  know  quite  new." 


222  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"Yes,  there  never  was  a  more  complete  surprise;  and  al- 
though poor  Wauchope  fell  into  the  trap,  he  can  hardly  be 
blamed  for  not  taking  precautions  against  an  entirely  new 
plan  of  defence.  If  it  hadn't  been  for  that  I  believe  we 
should  have  captured  the  position  without  heavy  loss,  for 
once  among  the  boulders  on  the  hillside  our  troops  could 
have  fought  their  way  up  under  partial  shelter;  and,  as  far 
as  we  have  seen,  the  Boers  do  not  attempt  to  make  a  stand 
when  once  we  get  near  them." 

"  I  am  afraid  Kimberley  must  fall,"  the  officer,  whose 
name  was  D'Arcy,  said. 

"  I  do  not  think  that  there  is  any  fear  of  that.  They  have 
provisions  enough  to  last  them,  if  pushed  to  it,  for  three 
months." 

"  That  is  good  news.    But  are  you  sure  ? " 

"Quite,  for  I  was  there  myself  ten  days  ago." 

"  You  were  there  ?  How  on  earth  did  you  manage  to  get 
out?" 

"  I  will  tell  you  that  to-night,"  Yorke  laughed.  "  I  have 
been  talking  steadily  for  the  past  two  hours,  and  what  with 
the  heat  and  dust  I  don't  feel  in  form  to  begin  again  now. 
I  suppose  we  shall  get  to  Bloemfontein  the  day  after  to- 
morrow; it  is  about  eighty  miles,  I  think." 

"  Somewhere  about  that,  I  suppose.  From  there  we  shall 
be  sent  up  by  train  to  Pretoria.  It  will  be  a  pleasant 
change,  for  what  with  these  carts  and  the  Boers'  horses  we 
might  as  well  be  living  in  the  middle  of  a  dust-storm,  ex- 
cept that  we  can  keep  our  hats  on  our  heads." 

They  were  indeed  heartily  glad  when  they  arrived  at 
Bloemfontein.  They  were  taken  direct  to  the  railway-station 
where  a  number  of  the  prisoners  captured  at  Stormberg  were 
confined,  and  on  the  following  morning  the  whole  party 
started  by  train  to  Pretoria.  There  were  several  officers,  and 
these  were  all  placed  in  a  carriage  by  themselves.  They  had 
been  permitted  to  buy  tobacco  at  Bloemfontein.  Having 
now  recovered  to  some  extent  from  their  disgust  at  being 


A  PBISONEB  223 

made  prisoners,  they  were  disposed  to  view  things  in  a  more 
cheerful  light.  As  Yorke  was  the  only  one  among  them 
who  had  been  with  Methuen's  column,  all  were  anxious  to 
hear  his  account  of  what  had  happened  on  that  side,  and  he 
had  again  to  repeat  his  story  of  the  fights  and  of  his  journey 
to  Kimberley. 

"  You  were  in  the  action  at  Magersf  ontein  ? "  one  said. 
"I  suppose  that  as  you  were  on  the  staff  you  did  not  see 
very  much  of  it." 

"  Not  much.  But  I  was  sent  with  a  message  to  Lord 
Airlie,  and  when  he  ordered  the  two  squadrons  of  the  12th 
Lancers  to  go  forward  to  cover  the  flank  of  the  Highland 
Brigade  I  followed  them  for  some  distance,  and  remained 
near  until  the  Horse  Artillery  came  up  to  the  support,  and 
the  Coldstreams  and  Grenadiers  took  up  the  line  between  the 
Highlanders  and  the  river.  I  afterwards  carried  messages 
twice  to  the  Highland  Brigade.  Still,  of  course,  I  saw  noth- 
ing of  the  early  fighting,  if  it  can  be  called  fighting,  for 
the  Scotchmen  were  all  lying  down,  and  but  few  shots  were 
returned  on  their  part  to  the  storm  of  bullets  which  passed 
over  their  heads,  for  every  shot  was  sure  to  be  answered  by 
a  dozen  rifles  from  the  Boer  trenches.  My  escape  was  a 
miracle.  My  horse  was  grazed  twice,  my  saddle  was  struck, 
and  I  had  two  bullet-holes  through  my  clothes,  and  one 
through  my  helmet.  I  did  not  remain  long,  you  may  be 
sure.  I  saw  that  the  Highlanders  were  showing  no  signs  of 
giving  way,  and  that  the  Boers  seemed  equally  unwilling  to 
advance.  That  was  the  principal  object  of  my  mission.  As 
for  finding  out  who  was  the  officer  in  command,  it  was  im- 
possible. No  man  knew  anything  of  what  was  passing  ten 
yards  from  him.  Some  said  they  believed  all  the  officers 
were  killed.  This,  of  course,  was  not  so;  but,  as  I  after- 
wards learned,  no  fewer  than  forty-six  officers  fell,  for  the 
most  part  in  the  first  terrible  outburst  of  fire.  Now,  will 
you  tell  me  about  Stormberg  ? " 

"There  is  very  little  to  tell,"  the  other  officer  said  bit- 


224  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

terly.  "  The  fact  that  we  were  going  to  make  a  night  at- 
tack was  known  in  the  camp  the  night  before,  and  of  course 
the  Boers  heard  of  it;  and  when  we  arrived  at  daybreak — 
after  wandering  about  completely  worn  out  and  exhausted 
by  what  was  really  a  five  or  six  hours'  march,  but  seemed 
like  a  month — a  tremendous  fire  was  poured  in  upon  us. 
Some  of  us  dashed  up  the  hill  on  one  side,  some  up  the 
other.  The  place,  however,  was  inaccessible,  and  we  were 
being  shot  down  without  any  power  to  retaliate.  The  order 
came  to  retreat.  A  great  many  of  us  were  lying  under  the 
shelter  of  a  perpendicular  rock,  which  we  could  not  leave 
without  being  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  Boers  above  us 
and  those  on  the  opposite  side.  If  the  men  had  been  fresh, 
the  effort  would  have  been  made,  but  they  were  too  worn- 
out  and  dispirited,  and  so  we  were  captured.  The  guns 
and  the  Irish  Rifles  covered  the  retreat  of  the  rest.  But  if 
the  Boers  had  been  as  enterprising  as  they  were  crafty  they 
might  have  cut  the  whole  off,  and  not  a  man  would  have 
returned  to  Molteno  to  tell  the  story. 

"It  was  a  sickening  business  altogether;  we  made  blunder 
upon  blunder.  The  order  for  the  march  should  not  have 
been  issued  until  we  were  paraded.  The  troops  should  have 
rested  all  day  and  taken  food  with  them.  The  trucks  should 
have  been  ready  for  us  to  entrain  when  we  marched  down 
to  the  railway.  We  ought  to  have  had  better  guides.  There 
ought  to  have  been  an  advance-guard  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
ahead.  It  was  known  that  the  Boer  position  was  strong,  and 
that  the  enemy  were  at  least  as  numerous  as  we  were,  so  we 
should  have  been  brought  up  to  fight  fresh  and  in  good  con- 
dition, instead  of  being  exhausted,  fagged  out,  and  dispirited 
by  a  tedious  night  march.  Altogether  our  business  seems  to 
have  been  very  much  like  yours  at  Magersf ontein,  where  you 
were  surprised  just  as  we  were,  and  where  the  men  were 
already  exhausted  from  want  of  food,  a  night  spent  in  the 
pouring  rain  and  a  dispiriting  night  march.  I  hope  to 
Heaven  when  the  next  fight  takes  place  that  there  will  be  no 


A  PRISONER  225 

more  of  this  night  marching,  but  that  the  troops  will  have 
a  chance  of  going  into  action  fresh,  well  fed,  and  in  good 
condition.  Even  in  a  flat  country,  without  obstacles,  a  night 
march  is  always  a  very  ticklish  business,  as  you  found  at 
Belmont,  where,  as  you  say,  the  regiments  lost  their  bearing 
and  attacked  the  wrong  hills.  But  in  a  hilly  country,  with 
bad  maps  and  guides  of  doubtful  honesty,  it  is  almost  certain 
to  lead  to  disaster." 

After  twenty-four  hours  of  tedious  travelling  the  train 
arrived  at  Pretoria,  and  the  officers  were  marched  off  to  one 
prison  and  the  men  to  another.  The  building  was  a  small 
one,  but  some  huts  had  been  erected  in  the  yard.  The  prison 
already  contained  the  officers  who  had  been  captured  at 
Nicholson's  Nek  in  Natal,  and  the  first  batch  of  those  taken 
at  Stormberg,  and  hearty  greetings  were  exchanged  by  their 
companions  in  misfortune,  who  pressed  eagerly  round  asking 
for  news.  It  took  some  time  to  exhaust  the  budget,  and 
although  the  news  was  far  from  good,  they  were  well  satis- 
fied, for  they  too  had  heard  the  most  exaggerated  reports  of 
the  Boer  victories  from  their  guards. 

"  Now,"  the  new-comers  asked,  "  how  do  you  get  on  here  ?  " 
"We  are  fairly  well  fed,  but  a  good  deal  crowded;  but 
they  are  talking  of  sending  us  to  the  race-course.  Our  great 
difficulty  is  to  pass  the  time.  We  have  bought  a  few  balls 
and  play  at  fives.  We  play  cards,  but  as  no  one  has  more 
than  a  few  shillings  in  his  pocket,  we  don't  play  for  money, 
and  that  takes  away  a  good  deal  of  the  interest.  You  see, 
we  don't  want  to  lose  what  little  we  have  got,  or  to  win 
anyone  else's.  If  more  prisoners  come  in,  and  the  provisions 
begin  to  run  short  in  the  town — which  they  are  likely  enough 
to  do,  for  there  is  no  one  to  work  on  the  fields  now  or  to 
get  in  the  crops — the  money  will  come  in  very  handy.  Some 
of  us  were  stripped  altogether  of  our  cash,  but  in  most  cases 
the  Boers,  although  they  took  our  gold  or  left  us  at  most  a 
sovereign,  let  us  keep  the  silver.  I  suppose  their  theory 
was,  that  in  the  first  place  gold  was  better  in  their  pockets 


226  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

than  in  ours;  and  in  the  second,  that  it  was  safer  to  deprive 
us  of  the  means  of  bribing  any  of  our  warders.  They  were 
wise  there,  for,  judging  by  their  appearance,  the  majority  of 
the  guards  are  unmitigated  ruffians,  the  Irish  and  German 
scum  of  the  place — the  sort  of  men  who  would  do  anything 
for  a  ten-pound  note." 

Yorke,  for  the  first  time,  regretted  when  he  heard  this, 
that  he  had  as  usual  left  his  money  with  the  paymaster. 
There  had  been  nothing  to  buy  since  he  had  left  De  Aar, 
and  he  felt  sure  that,  if  suspected  when  scouting,  the  fact 
of  his  having  money  about  him  would  add  to  the  suspicion 
that  he  was  not  what  he  seemed.  He  therefore  handed  over 
his  money  to  the  officer  who  acted  as  paymaster  to  Riming- 
ton's  Scouts,  and  had  only  two  days  before  drawn  it  from 
him  and  handed  it  to  the  paymaster  at  head-quarters,  re- 
taining only  some  five  or  six  shillings ;  as  his  messing  account 
would  come  in  only  once  a  week,  and  he  could  then  draw 
sufficient  to  pay  it.  He  had  congratulated  himself  on  this 
when  he  was  captured,  but  he  now  wished  that  he  had  made 
a  point  of  concealing  a  few  pounds  somewhere  about  him.  It 
would  not  have  been  a  very  serious  loss  if  it  had  been  taken 
from  him,  and  if  he  now  had  it,  it  would  be  invaluable  if  he 
could  find  any  opportunity  of  making  his  escape. 

"  Have  there  been  any  attempts  at  escape  ? "  he  asked. 

"Yes.  Winston  Churchill  managed  it,  but  not  from  this 
prison.  Two  of  our  fellows  got  away,  but  the  result  is  that 
we  are  looked  after  a  good  deal  sharper  than  we  were.  We 
are  all  locked  up  in  our  rooms  at  nine  o'clock;  there  are 
four  fellows  always  on  guard  in  the  yard  night  and  day;  I 
believe  there  are  others  round  the  wall.  Besides,  you  see, 
even  if  one  could  get  away,  one's  difficulties  would  only  then 
begin.  A  disguise  would  have  to  be  got,  and  that  cannot  be 
bought  without  money.  In  the  next  place,  there  is  not  a 
soul  among  us  who  can  speak  their  beastly  language,  and, 
as  we  should  have  to  buy  food,  we  should  be  detected  at 
once." 


FRIENDS  227 

"I  shall  escape  if  I  can/*  Yorke  said;  "for  I  speak  Taal 
well  enough  to  pass  anywhere,  and  once  outside  I  could  make 
my  way  across  the  country,  even  if  I  had  to  steal  a  Dutch- 
man's coat.  Still,  after  what  you  say,  I  see  that  an  escape 
can  hardly  be  managed  without  money  to  bribe  some  of  the 
warders." 

"Go  by  all  means,  if  you  can,"  the  officer  said.  "You 
won't  injure  us,  for  our  case  is  hopeless  now,  and  until  we 
hear  our  bugles  blowing  there  is  not  a  shadow  of  a  chance  of 
out  getting  away." 


CHAPTER 


A  WEEK  later  the  jails  in  the  town  were  emptied,  and 
the  prisoners  taken  to  the  race-course.  Some  rough 
wooden  huts  had  been  erected  for  the  men,  and  the  officers 
were  to  use  the  grand-stand. 

"  At  least  we  shall  have  a  good  view  from  the  top,"  one  of 
the  officers  laughed.  "We  shall  see  our  fellows  coming  a 
long  way  off,  and  the  bombardment  of  the  forts,  which  will,  I 
expect,  be  the  first  thing  done.  I  hope  that  if  the  Boers 
fight  they  will  make  their  last  stand  well  away  from  the 
town.  It  would  be  maddening  if  there  were  to  be  a  battle 
going  on  before  our  eyes  and  we  not  able  to  help." 

The  strictness  of  the  watch  was  in  no  way  relaxed.  Men 
constantly  paraded  the  enclosure,  which  was  formed  of  strong 
palisades.  Others  kept  watch  outside,  where  several  ranges 
of  barbed  wire,  to  which  empty  tins  were  attached  in  such  a 
way  as  to  make  a  clatter  at  the  slightest  motion,  seemed  to 
render  it  impossible  to  get  out  without  giving  the  alarm, 
even  if  the  palisade  were  scaled.  The  time  passed  heavily, 
in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  officers  to  amuse  themselves. 
With  make-shift  stumps,  bats,  and  balls  they  played  cricket, 


228  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

and  the  men  in  their  part  of  the  grounds  did  the  same. 
They  ran  races,  had  high  and  wide  jumps,  played  rounders, 
and  did  their  best  to  keep  up  their  spirits,  but  it  was  heavy 
work.  The  subject  of  the  war  was  avoided  as  much  as  possi- 
ble. It  was  maddening  to  know  that  fierce  battles  might 
be  going  on  while  they  had  lost  all  opportunity  of  sharing 
in  them,  and  that  when  their  friends,  on  their  return,  asked 
what  share  they  had  taken  in  the  fighting,  they  could  only 
reply  that  they  were  captured  in  one  of  the  first  fights  and 
had  seen  nothing  of  the  war  afterwards. 

Ten  days  after  they  had  been  moved,  one  of  the  guards,  as 
he  sauntered  past  Yorke,  coughed,  not  in  a  natural  way,  but 
as  if  to  call  his  attention.  Yorke  looked  round  with  apparent 
carelessness,  as  other  guards  might  have  their  eye  upon  him. 
The  man  passed  on  without  looking  at  him,  but  Yorke  had 
difficulty  in  restraining  a  shout  of  delight  when  he  recog- 
nized Hans.  At  first  he  could  scarcely  believe  his  eyes,  but 
as  the  man  lounged  away,  he  recognized  the  figure  beyond 
the  shadow  of  doubt.  He  sat  down  upon  the  ground,  took 
out  his  pipe  and  filled  it,  and  when  Hans  again  came  past 
he  asked  him  for  a  light. 

"  Where  is  your  room,  Master  Yorke  ? "  Hans  asked,  aa 
he  fumbled  in  his  pocket. 

"It  is  at  the  other  side  of  the  house — the  door  nearest  to 
the  right-hand  corner  looking  at  it  from  here." 

"  I  shall  want  time  to  think  it  out,  Master  Yorke.  I  only 
got  taken  on  to-day.  I  will  speak  to  you  again  to-morrow." 
So,  striking  a  match  and  handing  it  to  Yorke,  Hans  went 
away. 

Yorke  felt  that  great  caution  must  be  used  in  speaking  to 
Hans  for  as  a  new  hand  he  might  be  watched  for  a  time  to 
see  that  he  did  not  communicate  with  the  prisoners.  He  lay 
back  on  the  ground,  pulled  his  hat  forward  as  if  to  shade 
his  face,  and  tried  to  think  things  over.  Even  now  he 
could  scarcely  believe  it  possible  that  Hans  could  have 
travelled  all  the  way  from  the  Modder  to  Pretoria.  He  knew 


FRIENDS  229 

how  warmly  the  faithful  fellow  was  attached  to  him,  but  not 
for  a  moment,  while  thinking  over  every  conceivable  way  of 
escape,  had  it  occurred  to  him  that  Hans  would  have  come 
to  his  relief.  Hans  was  a  slow  thinker,  and  he  should  not 
have  given  him  credit  for  his  undertaking  such  an  enter- 
prise; and  even  now  that  he  had  succeeded  in  making  the 
journey  and  in  getting  himself  engaged  as  a  guard,  he  felt 
sure  that  he  could  not  have  the  slightest  idea  as  to  what  his 
next  step  should  be.  Getting  up  after  a  time,  he  went  back 
to  the  room  where  he  and  eight  officers  slept. 

It  had  formerly  been  an  office  of  some  sort,  and  the  out- 
side door  opened  directly  into  it.  Hitherto  he  had  not  ex- 
amined the  lock,  for  the  palisade  and  the  wire  fences  be- 
yond it  offered  such  impregnable  obstacles,  that  the  mere 
question  of  getting  in  and  out  of  the  room  was  of  secondary 
importance.  He  now  saw  that  there  would  be  no  great 
difficulty  in  shooting  the  bolt  of  the  lock  on  the  inside,  but 
there  were  strong  staples  with  a  bar  and  padlock  outside. 
These  had  evidently  been  put  on  only  when  it  was  decided 
to  transform  the  grand-stand  into  a  prison.  His  pocket- 
book  had  not  been  taken  from  him;  it  had  a  pencil  attached, 
and  he  now  wrote: 

/  was  delighted  to  see  you.  Even  with  your  help  it  will  be 
very  difficult  for  me  to  make  an  escape.  Of  course,  nothing 
whatever  can  be  done  before  you  happen  to  be  on  night  guard 
and  be  posted  near  my  door.  I  can  force  the  bolt  of  the  lock 
inside.  There  is  a  padlock  outside,  and  you  will  either  re- 
quire a  file  to  cut  through  the  staple,  or  a  strong  steel  bar 
with  which  you  could  wrench  it  off;  but  the  file  would  be  the 
easier.  With  a  short  rope  I  could  climb  the  palisade,  but 
the  difficulty  is  the  barbed  wire  outside.  I  will  think  over 
what  can  best  be  done  with  that,  and  will  let  you  know.  Of 
course  I  shall  want  a  disguise  to  put  on  if  I  escape;  it  must 
be  a  very  dark  night  when  we  attempt  it.  I  have  no  money; 
have  you  any? 


230  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Having  torn  out  the  leaf  and  folded  it  up  small,  tie  went 
out  again,  strolled  down  to  the  palisade,  and  looked  through 
it  at  the  wires  with  their  pendent  tins.  "  It  would  be  an 
awful  job  to  get  over  them  even  without  the  tins,  but  with 
them  it  seems  altogether  impossible  to  do  it  without  noise," 
he  thought  to  himself.  "I  am  very  much  afraid  Hans  has 
made  his  journey  in  vain."  He  opened  the  little  bit  of  paper 
and  added: 

I  shall  need  a  little  'bottle  of  oil  so  as  to  shoot  the  bolt 
without  making  a  noise,  and  you  will  want  one  to  help  you 
to  file  through  the  staple. 

Hans  came  on  duty  again  at  twelve  o'clock.  Yorke  did 
not  go  near  him  for  an  hour,  then  he  repeated  the  perform- 
ance of  the  previous  day,  and  as  Hans  held  out  his  match- 
box to  him  he  slipped  the  tiny  folded  paper  into  his  hand, 
and  presently  sauntered  back  to  his  companions  and  joined 
in  a  game  of  rounders. 

That  evening  when  they  were  locked  in  their  rooms  he 
told  the  others:  "It  must  seem  to  you  madness,  but  I  have 
made  up  my  mind  to  try  and  escape.  I  know  that  I  may 
be  shot  in  doing  so,  but  I  mean  to  try." 

"But  the  thing  is  impossible,  Harberton,"  one  of  them 
said.  "  It  will  simply  be  throwing  away  your  life." 

"I  am  perfectly  aware  that  it  is  very  dangerous,  but  I 
have  made  up  my  mind  to  risk  it.  Why  I  tell  you  is  that 
I  don't  wish  to  do  anything  that  would  cause  greater  pre- 
cautions to  be  taken,  and  so  make  it  still  harder  for  any- 
one else  to  escape." 

"  It  could  not  be  harder  than  it  is,"  one  of  them  said;  "so 
if  you  can  hit  upon  any  plan  of  escape,  by  all  means  try  it. 
You  can  speak  Dutch  well,  and  might  get  off.  But  if  you 
could  take  us  all  out  with  you  I  would  not  try,  for  the 
betting  against  one's  making  one's  way  across  the  frontier 
unless  speaking  the  language  is  at  least  a  thousand  to  one. 


FRIENDS  231 

They  might  not  make  any  extraordinary  fuss  about  one  fel- 
low getting  off,  but  if  eight  of  us  were  to  do  so  they  would 
scour  the  country  everywhere  and  telegraph  all  over  the 
place." 

"  I  think  it  is,  as  you  say,  a  piece  of  madness,"  another 
said.  "  Of  course,  if  you  are  willing  to  try,  we  don't  want 
to  prevent  you;  but  you  may  be  assured  that,  even  should 
you  by  a  miracle  succeed,  none  of  us  would  care  to  take  the 
chances  of  getting  out  of  the  country.  Of  course  Maf eking 
is  the  nearest  point,  but  there  are  Boers  all  round  it.  While 
I  regard  it  as  impossible  that  you  should  get  out,  I  consider 
it  would  be  still  more  impossible  for  any  of  us  to  make  our 
way  across  the  frontier  if  we  escaped  with  you." 

"  Thank  you ! "  Yorke  said  quietly.  "  Certainly  I  mean 
to  try,  but  I  did  not  wish  you  to  regard  me  as  a  cad  for 
going  away  and  not  giving  you  a  chance  to  escape  with 
me.  If  you  had  expressed  your  opinion  that  my  escape,  if 
effected,  would  in  any  way  make  things  more  unpleasant  for 
the  others,  I  should  have  given  up  my  idea  at  once." 

There  was  a  murmur  of  approval  among  his  hearers.  "  It 
is  a  very  proper  spirit,  Harberton,"  the  senior  of  the  party 
said.  "  I  know  it  has  always  been  considered  that  a  prisoner 
of  war  has  a  right  to  make  his  escape  if  he  can,  although 
such  an  escape  may  render  the  watch  over  the  others  more 
rigorous.  Still,  I  think  myself  that  it  is  a  selfish  and  un- 
generous action  for  any  man  to  take,  unless  he  is  sure  that 
others  will  not  suffer  for  it.  However,  in  the  present  case 
the  watch  is  so  close,  and  the  obstacles  to  be  overcome  are 
so  great,  both  in  getting  out  and  in  making  one's  way  across 
the  country,  that  in  no  way  could  the  escape  of  one  officer 
add  to  the  rigour  of  the  imprisonment  of  the  rest.  Frankly, 
as  far  as  I  can  see,  bribery  is  the  only  possible  means  of 
escape,  and  unless  you  have  a  secret  store,  and  that  an  abun- 
dant one,  you  can  hardly  hope  to  succeed  with  any  of  these 
fellows,  for  there  is  no  question  that  they  hate  us  bitterly." 

"I  am  not  thinking  of  that  method.     My  resources  at 


232  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

present  are  represented  by  four  shillings,  which  would  not 
be  sufficient,  I  think,  to  tempt  any  warder  to  give  me  his 
assistance.  I  am  by  no  means  sure  that  I  shall  get  away, 
but  if  I  do,  it  will  be  with  the  assistance  of  a  friend  in  the 
town.  I  do  not  wish  to  say  more,  because  after  I  am  gone 
— that  is,  if  I  do  go — questions  may  be  asked,  and  it  would 
be  best  that,  instead  of  refusing  to  answer  them,  you  should 
be  able  to  say  that  you  knew  nothing  of  the  manner  in  which 
I  had  escaped,  nor  who  had  assisted  me." 

Yorke  again  strolled  down  to  the  palisade  and  stood  look- 
ing through  it  thoughtfully  for  some  time.  The  fences  out- 
side were  certainly  as  awkward  obstacles  as  could  be  imag- 
ined. The  posts  were  six  feet  high;  the  wires  were  about 
eight  inches  apart,  and  the  barbs  a  little  more  than  six 
inches.  On  each  wire  were  hung  three  tin  cans  between  each 
post.  There  were  three  lines  of  fencing.  The  lowest  wire 
was  four  inches  above  the  ground,  differing  from  the  others 
only  in  having  no  tins  attached  to  it,  there  not  being  depth 
enough  for  them  to  hang".  Suddenly  the  puzzled  look  on 
Yorke's  face  was  succeeded  by  one  of  satisfaction. 

"  It  is  as  good  as  done !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  With  a  strong 
pair  of  nippers  the  bottom  wire  can  be  cut,  and  that  will 
leave  a  sufficient  space  to  crawl  under.  There  will  be  about 
a  foot  clear  between  the  ground  and  the  next  wire.  After 
deducting  an  inch  for  the  barb,  there  are  still  eleven  inches, 
and  lying  perfectly  flat  one  ought  to  be  able  to  crawl  under 
that,  taking  care  to  avoid  the  tins." 

That  day  and  the  two  days  following  Yorke  did  not  go 
near  Hans.  One  of  the  other  guards  might  notice  the  latter 
talking  two  or  three  days  in  succession  to  the  same  prisoner. 
On  the  third  day  he  again  placed  himself  in  his  way  and 
handed  him  a  note. 

Get  a  strong  pair  of  wire-nippers.  Let  the  rope  "be  about 
eighteen  feet  long.  There  is  nothing  else  I  shall  want  to 
enable  us  to  get  away.  If  you  can  get  another  rifle  and 


FRIENDS  233 

ammunition,  and  hide  them  some  little  distance  from  the 
prison,  all  the  better.  I  shall  save  some  food — enough,  I 
hope,  to  last  for  two  or  three  days.  You  had  better  bring 
some  in  your  pocket  too.  There  will  be  no  moon  on  Mon- 
day next,  and  if  you  are  on  guard  that  night  near  my  door 
we  had  better  try  then.  At  eleven  o'clock  I  shall  be  lis- 
tening for  the  sound  of  your  file.  If  I  do  not  hear  it  by  half- 
past  eleven  I  shall  suppose  that  you  are  posted  somewhere 
else,  but  I  shall  listen  three  or  four  nights  before,  and  every 
night  after  that,  at  the  same  hour.  I  shall  not  write  again. 
It  is  better  that  we  should  not  be  noticed  speaking  to  each 
other,  so  pay  no  attention  to  me  unless  you  have  something 
particular  to  say. 

As  he  gave  the  paper  to  Hans,  the  latter  slipped  into  his 
hand  a  small  tin  oil-can,  one  of  those  used  for  oiling  sewing- 
machines  and  bicycles,  and  also  a  paper  of  tobacco.  "If  I 
am  asked  why  I  was  speaking  to  you,"  Hans  muttered,  "I 
can  say  you  asked  me  to  buy  you  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
tobacco." 

It  was  well  the  precaution  had  been  taken,  for  a  minute 
later  one  of  the  other  guards  came  up  and  asked  roughly, 
"  What  did  that  man  give  you  ? " 

Yorke  assumed  a  look  of  surprise,  put  his  hand  in  his 
pocket,  and  took  out  the  little  parcel. 

"  There  it  is,"  he  said.  "  It  is  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
tobacco.  I  asked  him  to  get  the  best  he  could  buy.  I  hope 
that  he  has  done  so,  but  I  have  not  tried  it." 

He  opened  it  carelessly,  and  the  guard  glanced  at  it,  and 
then  went  away  satisfied  with  the  explanation. 

"  It  is  just  as  well,"  Yorke  said  to  himself,  "  that  I  told 
Hans  not  to  come  near  me  again.  Evidently  that  fellow 
had  some  sort  of  suspicion,  and  must  have  seen  him  speak 
to  me  before,  for  there  is  nothing  unusual  in  the  guard 
fetching  us  little  things  we  want.  There  is  certainly  noth- 
ing suspicious  about  Hans'  appearance.  He  has  evidently 


234  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

not  washed  his  face  for  days,  and  looks  as  dirty  as  any  of 
them." 

The  time  passed  as  usual  till  three  days  before  the  date 
appointed.  For  four  days  Yorke  had  not  seen  Hans,  who 
had  been  put  on  night  guard.  Each  evening  he  had  gone 
to  the  door  at  eleven,  and  listened  for  half  an  hour  without 
hearing  any  sound.  He  had  hidden  away  one  of  the  table- 
knives.  On  the  Monday  evening  he  heard,  to  his  delight, 
a  low  grating  sound,  and  knocked  gently  three  times  to  let 
Hans  know  that  he  heard  him.  In  half  an  hour  he  heard 
the  bar  cautiously  removed,  and  with  his  knife  at  once  shot 
back  the  bolt  and  opened  the  door. 

The  night  was  pitch-dark,  and  after  silently  grasping  his 
follower's  hand,  Yorke  went  on  to  his  hands  and  knees,  and 
began  to  crawl  down  the  slope  towards  the  palisade. 

"Where  are  the  sentries,  Hans?"  he  asked,  when  they 
had  nearly  reached  it. 

"  There  is  one  at  each  corner  of  the  stand,  and  one  on 
each  side." 

"I  meant  outside  the  wires." 

"  There  are  six  or  eight  of  them,  and  they  keep  on  march- 
ing round  and  round.  When  one  of  the  field-cornets  visited 
the  sentries  the  other  night,  he  found  three  asleep.  So  the 
orders  were  that  no  one  should  sit  down  or  stand  still,  but 
keep  on  going  round  and  round,  keeping  as  nearly  as  they 
could  the  same  distance  apart.  But  I  don't  see  how  we  are 
to  get  through  the  wires." 

"I  see  my  way  as  to  that,  Hans.  Have  you  got  the 
nippers  ? " 

"  Yes,  Master  Yorke,  here  they  are." 

"  Now,  don't  say  another  word  till  we  are  outside,  but 
just  do  as  I  tell  you." 

Hans  was  well  content  with  the  order,  for  he  had  several 
times  surveyed  the  fencing,  and  could  see  no  possibility  of 
getting  over  without  not  only  being  torn  by  the  barbs,  but 
also  giving  the  alarm.  He  had,  however,  not  troubled  him- 


FRIENDS  235 

self  very  much  about  it,  having  implicit  confidence  in  Yorke. 
They  came  down  upon  the  palisade  about  half-way  between 
two  corners. 

"  Give  me  the  rope,  Hans,"  the  latter  whispered.  He  cut 
it  in  half,  and  made  a  slip-knot  at  one  end  of  each  piece. 
Both  had  taken  off  their  boots  before  starting. 

"  Now,"  Yorke  went  on,  when  the  two  pieces  of  rope  were 
ready,  "  do  you  climb  on  to  my  shoulder  and  put  these  two 
loops  round  the  top  of  one  of  the  stakes.  Let  one  hang 
down  on  this  side,  and  the  other  outside.  When  you  have 
fixed  them,  climb  up  and  lower  yourself  by  the  rope  to  the 
ground.  Be  sure  you  do  not  make  any  noise.  As  soon  as 
you  are  over,  I  will  follow.  You  had  better  lie  down  as 
soon  as  you  touch  the  ground." 

As  Hans  was  able  to  reach  the  top  of  the  palisade  from 
Yorke's  shoulders,  he  could  carry  out  the  order  without 
noise.  Yorke  himself  then  climbed  up  by  the  rope.  He  had 
rather  doubted  whether  Hans  would  be  able  to  accomplish 
this,  as,  though  strong,  he  was  unaccustomed  to  anything 
like  athletic  exercise.  To  Yorke,  however,  the  matter  was 
easy.  When  he  reached  the  other  side,  he  lay  down. 

"  Lie  quiet  till  I  tell  you,  Hans." 

The  nearest  fence  was  six  feet  from  the  palisade.  Finding 
one  of  the  posts,  Yorke  cut  the  lowest  wire  close  to  it.  Then 
he  cut  it  again  some  four  feet  away  from  the  post,  and 
carefully  dragged  the  severed  portions  further  along.  He 
had  thought  that  this  would  be  the  best  plan,  as,  if  he  tried 
to  coil  the  wire  up,  it  might  spring  back  again  and  strike 
one  of  the  tins  on  the  line  above.  These  tins  were  for  the 
most  part  hung  half-way  between  posts,  as  the  vibration 
there  would  be  greatest. 

When  he  had  this  done,  he  whispered  to  Hans :  "  There 
is  room  enough  to  crawl  under  the  wire  now,  but  you  must 
lie  perfectly  flat,  or  you  will  be  caught  by  the  barbs.  Push 
your  hat  through  in  front  of  you  first.  If  you  should  catch, 
don't  try  to  move;  you  would  set  the  tins  ringing.  I  will 


236  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

come  and  free  you.  But  if  you  are  careful,  you  ought  to 
have  no  trouble.  I  can  get  through  easily  enough." 

The  next  line  was  five  yards  outside  the  inner  one,  and 
as  soon  as  Hans  was  through  the  first  fence,  Yorke  pro- 
ceeded to  cut  the  lower  wire  as  before. 

"Lie  where  you  are  till  I  have  cleared  the  way  through 
the  outside  fence,"  he  whispered  to  Hans.  "Dark  as  it  is, 
they  might  see  us  if  there  were  two  of  us  together." 

While  the  work  was  going  on,  the  sentries  had  passed 
frequently.  They  followed  each  other,  however,  at  some- 
what long  intervals.  As  they  sauntered  along  slowly, 
smoking  their  pipes,  and  occasionally  humming  a  hymn 
tune,  they  kept  some  fifteen  or  twenty  yards  outside  the 
boundary  fence,  so  as  to  be  sure  that  in  the  dark  they  should 
not  run  against  it,  and  not  only  tear  their  clothes,  but  by 
shaking  the  tins  give  a  false  alarm.  To  facilitate  this,  lan- 
terns had  been  placed  at  this  distance  away  from  each 
corner,  so  that  as  soon  as  they  passed  one  they  could  see 
the  gleam  of  another  and  walk  straight  for  it.  Yorke 
waited  till  two  of  the  guard  were  about  equally  distant  from 
where  he  was  lying  before  cutting1  the  last  wire,  and  was 
very  careful  in  using  a  steady  pressure  on  the  pliers,  so  as 
to  prevent  their  closing  in  with  a  click.  This  time,  instead 
of  risking  the  second  cut,  he  crawled  along  some  little 
distance  with  the  end,  then  he  gave  a  low  hiss,  and  Hans 
was  soon  beside  him. 

"  Now,  Hans,  we  will  go  together.  They  certainly  cannot 
see  us  here,  so  we  will  crawl  under  this  last  wire,  and  then 
lie  still  till  the  next  guard  passes.  Wait  till  he  has  gone 
twenty  yards,  then  stand  up  and  make  a  dash.  Eun  as 
lightly  as  you  can;  but  even  if  he  hears  us,  we  shall  be  out 
of  sight  before  he  can  unsling  his  rifle  and  fire." 

Crawling  under  the  wire,  they  remained  as  flat  as  possible 
on  the  ground  until  the  next  sentry  passed.  They  could 
scarcely  make  out  the  outline  of  his  figure.  They  waited 
till  he  had  quite  disappeared,,  then  Yorke  pressed  his  fol- 


237 

lower's  hand.  They  rose  to  their  feet  and  quietly  made  off. 
Their  footsteps  were  almost  inaudible,  even  to  themselves, 
on  the  sandy  soil.  As  soon  as  they  were  past  the  line  the 
sentries  were  following  they  quickened  their  steps,  and  after 
going  fifty  yards  broke  into  a  run.  They  were  free  now. 
There  had  been  no  challenge  by  the  guards  on  either  side 
of  them,  no  pause  in  the  slow  dull  tread  of  their  heavy  boots. 
They  had  run  a  hundred  yards  when  Yorke  said :  "  Now, 
which  way,  Hans  ?  Have  you  got  a  rifle  for  me  ?  " 

"Yes,  master,  I  got  two  from  a  lot  that  were  standing 
against  the  wall  of  a  drinking-shop  while  their  owners  were 
inside." 

"What  did  you  get  two  for,  Hans?  You  brought  your 
own  out  with  you,  didn't  you  ? " 

"Yes,  but  Peter  wanted  one  too." 

"Peter!"  Yorke  repeated  in  surprise.    "What  Peter?" 

"  Long  Peter,  master." 

"  What !  has  he  come  with  you  ? " 

"  Yes,  it  was  he  who  came  to  me  and  said,  '  You  know 
the  baas  has  been  taken  prisoner  ? '  I  said,  '  Yes,  I  heard  it 
this  morning.'  '  Then,'  he  said,  '  we  must  go  and  get  him 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  Boers.'  I  had  not  thought  of  such 
a  thing  then;  but,  of  course,  I  said  I  was  ready.  So  I  went 
in  and  told  the  colonel  I  wanted  to  go,  and  he  gave  me  leave. 
Then  I  put  on  my  farm  clothes,  and  got  yours  from  your 
room.  Peter  had  said  that  I  had  better  ride,  so  I  mounted 
my  horse  and  came  off." 

"Where  is  he  now,  Hans?" 

"  He  is  at  that  little  house  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
the  other  side  of  the  race-course.  It  is  empty,  and  he  is 
there  with  your  clothes  and  the  horse  and  some  food.  We 
must  take  a  turn  and  go  round  there." 

"  It  won't  be  easy  to  find  it  on  such  a  dark  night,"  Yorke 
said. 

"  We  shall  find  it  easily  enough,"  Hans  replied  confidently. 
"Peter  pointed  out  to  me  that  from  the  door  th*  two  Ian- 


238  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

terns  on  this  side  were  just  in  a  line,  so  that  when  we  came 
round,  we  should  only  have  to  keep  them  so,  and  we  should 
come  straight  to  the  house." 

"The  Kaffir  is  a  sharp  fellow  as  well  as  a  faithful  one," 
Yorke  said.  "  It  is  well  we  have  a  guide  to  the  house,  for 
otherwise  we  might  have  searched  about  till  daybreak.  A 
horse  would  not  matter  so  much,  but  without  the  disguise  I 
could  not  hope  to  get  away." 

In  a  few  minutes  they  arrived  at  the  house.  A  native  was 
standing  at  the  door  holding  a  horse. 

"You  are  a  first-rate  fellow,  Peter,"  Yorke  said  as  he 
shook  him  warmly  by  the  hand,  "  a  downright  brick,  to  have 
made  this  long  journey,  and  run  no  end  of  risk  to  get  me 
out.  I  am  lucky  indeed  to  have  two  such  friends  as  you 
and  Hans." 

"  We  could  not  stop  there,  baas,  and  know  that  you  were 
in  prison,"  the  native  said  simply.  "Not  very  difficult  to 
get  here,  for  we  travel  always  at  night.  Which  way  shall 
we  go  now  ?  " 

"I  have  been  thinking  it  over,  and  have  decided  that  we 
had  better  go  down  to  Johannesburg.  It  is  a  large  town, 
and  people  are  sure  to  be  there  from  all  parts,  and  we  shall 
be  less  noticed.  What  do  you  think,  Hans?" 

"  That  is  what  I  have  been  thinking  too,  Master  Yorke." 

"Do  you  know  how  the  road  lies  from  here,  Peter?" 

"Yes,  baas;  we  sweep  round  the  town  three  or  four  miles, 
then  come  on  the  road." 

"  Do  you  think  you  could  find  your  way  all  right  ? " 

"Quite  sure  to  find  it,  baas;  cloud  clearing  off,  soon  have 
stars  come  out." 

"Then  we  will  start  at  once;  we  are  not  likely  to  meet 
anyone  on  the  road.  If  we  keep  on  we  shall  be  half-way 
there  by  daylight,  we  can  then  decide  what  we  shall  do. 
Now,  where  are  the  things  ? " 

"In  this  bundle,  baas.    I  have  them  ready,  because  if  I 


239 

liad  heard  shots  fired  I  should  have  run  with  the  horse  in 
that  direction  so  as  to  meet  you." 

Yorke  did  not  wait  to  take  off  his  uniform,  but  slipped 
the  Boer  clothes  over  it. 

"  Now,  where  are  the  provisions  ? "  he  asked. 

"  In  the  bag  behind  the  saddle,"  the  Kaffir  said.  "  Four 
blankets  tied  in  front,  one  for  each  of  us  and  one  for  horse." 

"That  is  right.  We  had  better  lead  the  horse  for  the 
next  half-mile,  for  on  a  still  night  like  this  they  might 
hear  the  sound  if  we  were  to  trot.  I  don't  say  that  they 
would  give  the  alarm,  as  they  could  not  say  who  it  was: 
but  if  they  were  to  discover  that  we  had  gone  they  might 
remember  that  they  heard  a  horse,  and  so  guess  the  line  we 
had  taken." 

They  went  quietly  along  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  then 
Yorke  said:  "We  are  far  enough  off  now.  I  will  mount 
here.  When  you  are  tired,  Hans,  you  can  take  my  place 
and  I  will  walk."  But  Hans  laughed,  "  I  can  keep  on  any 
time,"  he  said,  "  but  I  will  let  you  know  if  I  am  tired." 

They  proceeded  slowly  for  the  next  half -hour,  when,  as 
the  Kaffir  had  predicted,  the  clouds  cleared  off  and  the  stars 
came  out. 

"  Now,  we  can  go  on  fast,  baas." 

"  Then  you  had  better  get  up  behind  me,  Hans,  the  horse 
must  have  had  little  to  do  lately,  and  he  can  carry  double 
very  well;  we  shall  thus  gain  a  lot  of  time,  and  he  will  have 
another  rest  at  Johannesburg." 

The  Kaffir  ran  on  lightly  ahead,  and  at  a  trot  the  horse 
followed.  In  half  an  hour  they  came  on  the  road  south, 
and  maintaining  the  pace,  and  breaking  occasionally  into  a 
walk  for  a  short  distance,  they  kept  on  till  morning  broke. 
It  was  half -past  twelve  when  they  started,  and  by  four  they 
had  done  twenty-five  miles  and  were  within  ten  miles  of 
Johannesburg. 

"I  think  we  may  as  well  push  on  to  the  town,"  Yorke 


240  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PBETOBIA. 

said.  "If  we  were  to  leave  the  road  and  take  to  the  veldt, 
people  might  notice  us  from  the  farmhouses  and  wonder 
what  we  were  doing  there." 

"  I  think  so  too,  Master  Yorke.  I  travelled  by  night  com- 
ing here,  because  the  horse  is  too  good  for  a  rough  Boer  to 
be  riding.  I  will  get  off  now  and  walk  beside  it,  that  will 
look  natural  enough.  You  are  a  young  Boer  farmer  and  I 
am  one  of  the  farm  hands,  and  you  are  going  to  Johannes- 
burg to  buy  things  you  want,  and  have  brought  one  of  your 
Kaffirs  to  carry  it  back;  no  one  would  think  twice  about  it." 

"That  will  certainly  be  best,  Hans;  they  cannot  know 
yet  that  anything  is  wrong  at  the  prison,  and  the  fact  that 
the  lower  wires  are  cut  will  not  be  noticed  for  some  time 
later.  I  pulled  up  the  rope  inside  the  inclosure  and  dropped 
it  outside  before  I  slid  down,  so  the  alarm  is  not  likely  to 
be  given  until  they  go  to  open  the  door  of  my  room.  We 
put  the  bar  in  its  place  when  we  closed  it.  At  any  rate, 
we  may  calculate  that  it  will  be  fully  seven  o'clock  before 
the  alarm  is  given  outside  the  prison.  Even  if  they  tele- 
graph direct  to  Johannesburg  to  keep  a  look-out  for  me,  we 
should  be  in  the  town  before  the  message  arrives.  They  will 
no  doubt  suspect  that  you  were  with  me,  for  they  will  see 
that  the  staple  has  been  filed  through  on  the  outside,  and  as 
you  will  be  missing1  when  they  relieve  the  guard  at  six 
o'clock,  probably  your  description  will  be  sent  out  with 
mine.  When  we  get  to  the  town  I  will  go  in  with  Peter 
only;  you  had  better  not  follow  the  road,  but  go  round  and 
enter  the  town  at  some  other  point." 

Hans  agreed  that  that  would  be  the  best  plan,  and,  dis- 
mounting and  taking  hold  of  Yorke's  stirrup-leather,  trotted 
alongside.  When  within  two  miles  of  Johannesburg  they 
saw  two  mounted  Boers  coming  along  in  the  distance,  and 
at  once  broke  into  a  walk.  When  they  met  the  Boers  the 
latter  were  engaged  in  conversation,  and  paid  no  attention 
to  the  party  beyond  returning  Yorke's  salutation.  They 
met  no  one  else  until  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  town. 


FRIENDS  241 

Hans  here  left  the  others.  Peter,  who  had  hidden  his  rifle 
in  his  clothes  since  they  had  first  seen  the  two  Boers  ap- 
proach them,  now  concealed  it  in  a  bush  twenty  yards  from 
the  road.  It  would  have  been  out  of  character  altogether 
for  a  native  to  carry  arms  in  the  Transvaal.  Yorke  rode 
on  as  soon  as  this  had  been  done.  He  found  the  principal 
streets  comparatively  deserted.  The  greater  portion  of  the 
stores  were  closed;  many  of  these  had  their  doors  open  and 
broken,  showing  that  forcible  entry  had  been  made  and  their 
contents  carried  away.  Some  of  the  hotels  were  closed, 
others  were  open;  but  the  uncleaned  windows  and  the  general 
appearance  of  untidiness  showed  that  there  were  but  few 
people  staying1  there,  and  that  their  owners  kept  them  open 
as  a  matter  of  policy  rather  than  of  gain.  Yorke  dismounted 
before  a  second-rate  looking  establishment,  Peter  took  the 
reins  and  led  the  horse  into  the  yard.  A  Kaffir  boy  came 
out  from  the  stables. 

"Put  the  horse  in,"  Yorke,  who  followed,  said,  "I  may 
be  staying  here  for  a  day  or  two." 

After  seeing  this  done  he  went  into  the  house.  "I  want 
some  breakfast,"  he  said  in  Dutch  to  an  untidy-looking 
German  who  sauntered  into  the  hall.  "  I  shall  want  a  bed 
to-night." 

"All  right!"  the  man  said;  "you  can  go  upstairs  and 
choose  any  room  you  like,  they  are  all  empty.  I  suppose 
bacon  and  eggs  will  do  for  breakfast?  I  have  nothing  else 
except  canned  meat." 

"  Bacon  and  eggs  will  do  very  well." 

"  They  will  be  ready  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,"  the  man 
said. 

"  I  have  put  my  horse  in  the  stable,"  Yorke  went  on.  "  la 
there  any  news  ? " 

"  Yes,  we  have  beaten  Buller  again.  I  suppose  you  have 
heard  that?" 

"  No,  our  farm  is  out  of  the  way  of  news.  When  was  it  ?  " 

"  On  the  27th,  at  least  that  was  the  last  of  it.    We  were 

(M  839)  Q 


242  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

fighting  for  a  week,  and  they  say  that  pretty  near  half  of 
them  were  killed.  They  took  a  strong  hill  called  Spion  Kop, 
but  we  drove  them  out  again.  Buller  has  recrossed  the 
Tugela,  and  I  expect  now  that  they  will  give  up  in  Lady- 
smith,  as  we  know  that  they  are  starving,  and  there  is  no 
longer  any  chance  of  Buller  getting  in.  He  must  know 
that  himself  by  this  time.  It  will  be  our  turn  next,  and 
when  Ladysmith  surrenders  we  shall  chase  Buller  down  to 
Durban." 

By  the  tone  in  which  the  man  spoke  Yorke  could  see  that 
he  did  not  put  any  very  great  faith  in  the  story  he  was 
telling. 

"  That  is  good  news,"  he  said  heartily.  "  I  am  sorry  I  was 
not  down  there  when  the  others  went;  I  could  not  be  spared 
at  home.  My  mother  is  not  strong,  and  could  not  look  after 
the  Kaffirs  and  the  cattle." 

"You  are  out  of  luck,"  the  man  said. 

"Well,  I  might  have  got  shot,  you  know,  if  I  had  been 
there." 

"Not  much  risk  of  that,"  the  man  replied,  "for  they 
say  that  the  Rooineks  cannot  shoot,  and  that  we  kill  a  hun- 
dred of  them  to  every  one  they  hit." 

"  They  must  shoot  badly  indeed  if  that  is  the  case." 

"  Well,  I  don't  say  it  is  so,  but  that  is  what  they  tell  us ; 
and  as  Kruger  says  so,  and  the  newspapers  say  so,  of  course 
we  must  believe  it.  I  don't  trouble  about  it  one  way  or  the 
other.  My  boss  went  down  to  Bloemfontein  a  month  ago 
and  left  me  here  in  charge.  It  is  little  enough  I  have  to  do, 
for  your  people  are  not  given  much  to  pay  for  liquor,  es- 
pecially when  they  can  get  as  much  as  they  like  by  breaking 
open  the  door  of  a  store,  and  it  ain't  once  a  week  that  a  bed 
is  wanted.  Still,  if  the  place  had  been  shut  up,  it  would 
have  been  looted  like  the  rest  of  the  empty  houses.  It  is  dull 
work  enough,  for  there  is  only  myself  and  the  Kaffir  woman 
who  cooks.  Well,  I  had  better  go  and  see  about  your  break- 
fast." 


FEIENDS  243 

While  Yorke  ate  his  breakfast  the  German,  who  was  evi- 
dently glad  to  have  someone  to  talk  to,  sat  down  on  a  table 
and  smoked. 

"I  suppose,"  he  said,  "you  have  come  from  somewhere 
near  Heidelberg  ? " 

"  No,"  Yorke  replied,  "  I  have  come  from  the  south.  I 
don't  know  whether  you  know  the  country  between  the  Klip 
Eiver  and  Blesbok  Spruit?" 

"  No,  I  have  never  been  there." 

"  Ah,  then,  you  would  not  know  the  farm !  It  is  not  very 
far  from  where  the  two  rivers  fall  into  the  Vaal,  twenty 
miles  or  so  below  Heidelberg." 

"I  suppose  your  people  are  with  the  Heidelberg  com- 
mando ? " 

Yorke  nodded. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  much  about  war,"  the  German  said, 
"for  I  slipped  away  from  home  before  my  time  came  to 
join  the  army,  and  I  am  not  likely  to  return;  but  it  cer- 
tainly seems  to  me  queer  that,  though  it  is  more  than  three 
months  since  the  business  began,  you  have  not  taken  either 
Ladysmith,  Kimberley,  or  Maf eking  yet;  and  yet  your  people 
made  sure  that  by  this  time  they  would  be  at  Durban  on 
one  side,  and  Cape  Town  on  the  other.  It  has  been  badly 
managed." 

"  Very  badly  managed,"  Yorke  agreed.  "  If  it  had  been 
left  to  Joubert  to  do  as  he  liked,  things  would  have  gone 
differently,  but  he  was  interfered  with  by  Kruger,  and  Steyn, 
and  all  Kruger's  people  here.  I  was  very  sorry  at  first  that 
I  could  not  go  with  the  others  to  Natal,  but  I  begin  to  think 
I  am  better  off  at  home  than  they  are.  Besides,  after  all  it 
does  not  matter  to  me  whether  we  drive  the  Kooineks  out  or 
not.  As  far  as  I  can  see  they  have  done  no  harm;  we  get 
a  lot  more  for  our  cattle  now  than  we  did  before  they  came, 
and  if  they  were  all  to  go,  prices  would  fall  again." 

"You  are  right,"  the  German  said;  "hotel-keeping  would 
not  be  a  paying  game  with  us  if  all  the  Uitlanders  were 


244  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

driven  out.  So  far,  I  reckon  that,  what  with  the  hotels  and 
stores  being  closed  and  most  of  the  mines  shut  down,  and 
almost  all  the  men  with  money  gone,  this  town  is  millions  of 
pounds  poorer  than  it  was  last  year.  You  seem  a  sensible 
young  fellow,  but  most  of  your  people  are  so  unreasonable 
that  there  is  no  talking1  with  them.  They  know  very  little 
themselves,  and  believe  everything  that  is  told  them.  Of 
course  we  who  live  here  are  obliged  to  seem  to  agree  with 
them,  but  we  don't  at  heart  believe  that  things  are  going  to 
turn  out  as  they  fancy.  They  know  nothing  about  England, 
and  we  do.  When  I  first  left  Germany  I  went  there  and 
learned  my  business  as  a  waiter  in  a  hotel  in  London,  and  I 
know  something  about  them,  and  how  they  put  down  that 
great  mutiny  in  India.  I  fancy  it  will  be  the  same  thing 
here." 

By  this  time  Yorke  had  finished  his  breakfast,  and,  say- 
ing that  he  might  as  well  have  a  look  round  and  see  about 
getting  the  stores  he  wanted,  he  took  his  hat,  and  telling 
the  German  that  he  would  be  in  about  one  o'clock  to  dinner, 
went  out. 


CHAPTEK  XIV 

A  BAND  OF  SCOUNDRELS 

ON  sallying  out  Yorke  was  joined  by  Peter,  as  had  been 
arranged.  The  native  kept  a  short  distance  behind 
him,  carrying  a  large  basket  which  he  had,  at  Yorke's  orders, 
brought.  Fortunately,  they  had  no  difficulty  about  cash,  as 
Hans,  who  had  not  drawn  any  money  from  the  time  of  his 
first  enlistment,  had  obtained  three  months'  pay  before 
starting.  Walking  up  the  main  street,  which  was  compara- 
tively deserted,  they  saw  a  group  of  people  before  one  of  the 
Government  offices,  and  going  up  Yorke  read  a  telegram 
from  Pretoria,  stating  that  a  British  officer  had,  during  the 


A  BAND  OF  SOOUKDEELS  245 

night,  effected  his  escape  from  prison,  and  that  he  had  been 
aided  by  one  of  the  prison  guards,  who  was  also  missing. 
All  were  enjoined  to  keep  a  look-out  for  them,  and  to  arrest 
them  when  discovered.  A  description  was  given  of  their 
appearance. 

"  They  will  not  get  far,"  a  Boer  standing  next  to  Yorke 
said;  "the  Rooinek  is  young,  and  certainly  will  not  be  able 
to  speak  our  language." 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  about  that,"  Yorke  agreed.  "  He 
must  be  a  sharp  fellow,  though,  to  have  escaped,  for,  from 
what  I  heard  from  one  who  had  seen  the  prison,  it  would  be 
next  to  impossible  for  anyone  to  get  away,  as  there  were 
sentries  night  and  day,  and  three  lines  of  barbed-wire  fenc- 
ing outside  the  palisade." 

"He  will  be  caught,  sure  enough,"  another  said.  "No 
doubt  they  will  shoot  him.  If  I  had  had  the  management 
of  things  I  would  have  shot  them  all  as  soon  as  they  were 
taken." 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  Yorke  replied.  "They  have 
not  taken  many  of  ours  at  present,  but  they  may  do,  and  if 
we  shoot  prisoners,  they  would  do  the  same." 

"  They  will  never  take  any  prisoners,"  the  man  said  scorn- 
fully ;  "  none  of  our  men  would  ever  surrender.  Besides,  as 
we  always  beat  them,  they  would  have  no  chance  of  taking 
prisoners." 

"That  is  so,"  Yorke  agreed;  "still,  I  don't  know  that  I 
agree  with  you  that  we  should  shoot  prisoners.  You  see,  the 
soldiers  have  to  fight  as  they  are  told,  and  they  are  not  to 
be  blamed  because  their  government  makes  them  fight 
against  us." 

Yorke  now  edged  out  of  the  little  crowd  and  joined  Peter. 
He  walked  about  the  town  for  some  hours,  and  at  one  went 
back  and  had  dinner.  He  then  went  out  again,  and  on 
leaving  the  hotel,  saw  Hans  standing  a  short  distance  away, 
but  paid  no  attention  to  him,  as  it  had  been  agreed  that 
they  should  not  recognize  each  other  as  long  as  they  were  in 


246          WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

Johannesburg.  Hans,  however,  rather  to  his  surprise  and 
annoyance,  followed  him  at  a  short  distance  down  the  street. 
After  proceeding  a  little  further,  Yorke  turned  off  from  the 
main  street  and  walked  some  distance  towards  the  outskirts 
of  the  town.  As  Hans  still  followed,  Yorke  stopped  at  a 
quiet  spot  where  no  one  was  in  sight. 

"What  is  it,  Hans?"  he  asked  when  the  other  came  up. 
"I  thought  we  had  agreed  that  we  were  not  to  recognize 
each  other  so  long  as  we  stayed  here." 

"  I  understood  that,  Master  Yorke,  but  there  is  something 
I  wanted  to  tell  you." 

"Well,  what  is  it,  Hans?" 

"  You  know  there  are  a  good  many  rough  fellows  here, 
chiefly  Irishmen  and  Germans,  who  have  managed  under 
some  excuse  or  other  to  avoid  having  to  go  to  fight." 

Yorke  nodded. 

"Well,  as  you  told  me,  I  went  to  a  small  drinking-shop. 
There  were  four  or  five  fellows  of  this  sort  there.  They 
stopped  talking  when  I  went  in,  and  as  soon  as  I  sat  down 
one  of  them  came  over  to  me  and  said  in  Dutch,  'Do  you 
understand  English  ? '  I  thought  it  best  to  shake  my  head, 
and  he  went  back  to  the  others  and  said  in  English,  '  The 
fellow  talks  nothing  but  Taal,  so  we  needn't  disturb  our- 
selves about  him/  'All  right,'  another  said,  'he  looks  as 
stupid  as  most  of  these  Dutchmen  do;  I  suppose  he  has  come 
in  from  some  country  farm.  Still,  we  may  as  well  make 
ourselves  safe,'  and  he  called  to  the  landlord.  'We  will  go 
to  that  room  behind,'  he  said ;  '  we  have  got  some  business 
that  we  want  to  talk  over ; '  and  getting  up  they  left  the 
room.  The  house  was  built  of  wood,  and  I  heard  their  entry 
into  the  room  behind  me  almost  as  plainly  as  if  I  had  been 
there,  and  taking  off  my  hat,  and  holding  it  in  readiness  if 
I  should  hear  the  landlord  returning,  I  placed  my  ear  against 
the  partition,  and  listened  intently.  Eelying  alike  upon  my 
ignorance  of  English,  my  being  half -drunk,  and  their  being 
in  another  room,  the  men  did  not  lower  their  voices?  and  I 


A  BAND  OF  SOOUNDEELS  24:7 

was  able  to  catch  nearly  all  they  said.  I  don't  know  why  I 
troubled  about  it,  it  was  no  business  of  mine;  but  they  were 
a  rough  lot,  and  the  fact  that  they  were  so  anxious  that  I 
should  not  hear  them  made  me  want  to  do  so,  and  I  think 
it  is  lucky  I  did.  What  I  heard  was  this : — 

" '  Well,  Grunstein,  go  on  with  what  you  were  saying.' 
• " '  I  was  telling  you  about  Chambers,  the  president  of  the 
Parfontein  mine.  I  learned  from  one  of  my  countrymen 
who  was  working  there,  that  the  last  month  before  war 
began  they  pushed  the  mine  for  all  it  was  worth — took  men 
off  the  levels  they  were  driving,  and  put  every  hand  on  to  get 
the  stuff  down  in  the  rich  places,  and  kept  all  the  stamps 
working  on  their  best  stuff.  One  of  the  men  who  works  in 
the  place  where  they  run  the  gold  into  blocks  told  me  that 
they  must  have  got  at  least  a  quarter  of  a  million  pounds' 
worth  of  gold.  It  was  taken  up  as  usual  every  night  to  the 
president's  house,  but  he  declares  that  it  was  never  sent  to 
the  bank,  and  that  he  is  sure  the  whole,  or  at  any  rate  by 
far  the  greater  part  of  it,  is  there  still.  Chambers  himself 
has  not  left.  I  suppose  he  bribed  Kruger  to  let  him  stop 
without  being  interfered  with.  He  has  his  wife  and  two 
daughters  there,  and  three  servants,  two  of  them  Germans 
and  one  an  Irishman.  We  have  already  got  at  them,  it  was 
better  to  do  so,  although  we  could  easily  settle  them.  Any- 
how, my  plan  is  to  get  a  score  of  men  we  can  rely  upon, 
and  attack  the  house.  It  is  near  the  mine,  and  far  enough 
away  from  the  town  to  prevent  any  firing  being  heard. 

" '  Anyhow,  we  need  not  bother  about  that,  as  Muller  has 
squared  the  three  men-servants.  He  has  promised  them  an 
equal  share  in  the  plunder;  and  it  is  a  good  thing  that  it 
was  arranged  so,  because  we  shall  be  able  to  carry  out  the 
affair,  I  hope,  without  a  gun  being  fired.  We  are  to  be 
there  at  nine  o'clock,  and  they  have  arranged  to  seize 
Chambers  and  tie  him  up;  or,  if  he  resists,  to  knock  him 
on  the  head  directly  they  hear  our  whistle.  Besides,  there 
as  no  doubt  the  gold  is  stored  in  some  secret  vault.  We 


248  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

might  have  a  difficulty  in  finding  it,  and  even  if  we  do  find 
it,  we  may  have  to  use  powder  to  blow  it  open.' 

" '  Why  get  twenty  ? '  another  asked,  '  when  we  four  and 
Muller  would  be  enough.  The  fewer  the  better.' 

" '  No,  Driscoll ;  we  had  better  take  a  good  force.  I  would 
rather  take  forty  than  twenty.  A  quarter  of  a  million 
weighs  a  tremendous  lot,  I  make  it  out  roughly  about  two 
tons  and  a  half.  A  man  could  not  carry  off  more  than 
fifty  pounds  weight — that  is,  he  could  not  hide  more  than 
fifty  pounds  weight  about  him — so  that  it  would  take  a  hun- 
dred men  to  carry  off  that  lot/ 

"'Well,  then,  we  must  get  some  carts.  There  is  John 
Blake,  he  has  a  cart,  and  picks  up  fares  in  the  town,  we 
could  rely  upon  him;  and  Pat  Maloney,  he  lets  his  cart 
out.  Between  them  they  could  .bring  in  two  tons  easily 
enough;  and  then  we  could  get  two  others — all  boys  we 
could  trust.  Then,  if  there  were  twenty  of  us,  we  could 
take  fifty  pounds  apiece,  as  you  say/ 

"'Yes,'  the  other  said  doubtfully,  'but  there  would  be  a 
big  row  over  it.  It  would  be  guessed  that  the  job  had  been 
done  to  get  at  gold,  and  Kruger's  people  would  consider  that 
they  had  been  robbed  of  their  rights,  and  there  would  be  a 
big  search/ 

"'They  can  only  guess,'  the  Irishman  replied;  'you  may 
be  sure  we  shall  leave  no  one  in  the  house  to  blab  about  it/ 

"  They  talked  for  some  time  and  went  through  a  lot  of 
names,  and  then  agreed  that  they  would  only  take  a  dozen 
altogether,  as  they  were  not  sure  that  they  could  trust  any 
of  the  others  they  had  named.  And  they  were  of  opinion 
that  each  of  them  could  carry  a  hundredweight,  and  per- 
haps even  a  hundredweight  and  a  half.  'A  man  can  carry 
a  mighty  lot  of  gold,'  one  of  them  said,  '  and  it  takes  up 
such  a  little  space  that  it  would  not  make  much  of  a  lump/ 
It  was  agreed  that  on  leaving  the  house  they  should  sepa- 
rate, all  going  different  ways,  each  choosing1  such  hiding- 


A  BAND  OF  SCOUNDRELS  249 

place  as  he  liked  for  his  gold.  Then  they  would  meet  at 
the  houses  of  the  two  men  who  were  to  take  the  carts,  and 
bury  the  gold  they  had  carried  off  in  the  yards. 

"  That  is  about  what  I  have  heard,  Master  Yorke.  There 
were  bits  that  I  did  not  hear,  for  sometimes  they  talked  so 
low  that  I  could  not  catch  the  words.  Then  they  called  the 
wine-shop  keeper  to  pay  for  what  they  had  had,  and  went 
out  in  a  body.  I  didn't  move  for  half  an  hour.  I  thought 
that  perhaps  one  of  them  might  be  watching  me  from  out- 
side the  window,  and  if  I  had  woke  up  too  soon,  they  might 
suspect  that  I  had  not  been  really  asleep,  in  which  case  I 
should  not  have  gone  far  before  I  got  a  knife  between  my 
shoulders.  But  luckily  the  landlord  came  in,  and  after 
speaking  to  me  twice,  seized  me  by  the  collar  and  shook  me. 
'  Now,'  he  said,  '  you  can't  be  sleeping  here  any  longer. 
Wake  up!  You  have  a  shilling  to  pay  for  what  you  have 
drunk.' 

"  I  pretended  to  fumble  about  for  some  time  trying  to 
find  the  money,  and  then  stumbled  out  of  the  room.  Then 
I  came  along  in  hopes  of  finding  you  or  Peter  to  tell  you 
about  it." 

"  You  have  done  quite  right,  Hans.  We  must  join  in  the 
g'ame.  In  the  first  place,  we  must  find  out  where  the  place 
is.  It  is  seven  o'clock  now,  and  there  is  no  time  to  be  lost. 
Peter,  you  had  better  go  and  get  your  rifle  at  once;  hide 
it  under  your  clothes  if  you  can,  for  it  will  be  daylight  for 
another  half  hour,  and  it  would  never  do  for  you  to  walk 
through  the  streets  with  a  rifle  on  your  shoulder.  Be  as 
quick  as  you  can  and  come  back  here.  I  will  find  out  where 
the  place  is  from  the  German  at  my  hotel.  You  come  back 
in  half  an  hour,  Hans;  it  will  take  Peter  that  time  to  get 
his  rifle  and  return." 

Then  he  walked  back  to  his  hotel,  while  the  Kaffir  went 
off  at  a  run. 

"Where  about  is  the  Parfontein  mine?     I  forgot  I  had 


250  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

to  go  there  to  see  how  many  cattle  he  will  want  next 
week." 

"I  thought  that  the  mine  was  shut  down,"  the  German 
said. 

"  No,  not  altogether.  At  any  rate,  he  wants  some  cattle. 
I  forgot  all  about  it  until  now.  But  if  it  is  not  too  far  I 
will  walk  over." 

"It  is  about  three  miles." 

"  Then  I  had  better  take  my  horse." 

"  It  is  Chambers's  house  that  you  want,  I  suppose  ? " 

"Yes." 

"Well,  you  cannot  go  very  far  wrong.  Go  out  by  the 
western  road,  and  walk  straight  on  about  two  miles.  You 
will  see  a  shaft  and  some  tips  half  a  mile  away  to  the  left. 
The  house  stands  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  there.  You  can 
hardly  mistake  it ;  it  is  a  large  house  with  a  big  garden  round 
it.  Chambers  keeps  it  watered  by  a  pipe  from  the  engine 
that  pumps  the  mine." 

Hans  was,  as  arranged,  waiting  a  short  distance  away; 
it  had  been  settled  that  he  had  better  get  a  straw-hat  in- 
stead of  the  one  he  was  wearing,  and  walk  on  alone  for  a  bit. 

"  Go  straight  along  the  road  to  the  west,  Hans.  I  shall 
overtake  you  before  you  reach  the  turning  to  the  mine;  and 
if  I  don't,  wait  where  the  road  turns  off  to  the  left,  two 
miles  and  a  half  away.  The  mine  lies  half  a  mile  to  the 
left.  Of  course,  as  you  go  along  you  will  get  your  rifle  and 
bandolier.  You  had  better  load  them  before  you  start.  I 
don't  think  any  of  those  fellows  would  know  you  again,  for 
that  hat  quite  changes  your  appearance.  But  I  think  it 
would  be  as  well  for  you  to  go  into  the  first  store  that  is 
open,  and  buy  a  light-coloured  coat.  You  would  be  quite 
safe  from  detection  then.  But  if  you  should  be  attacked 
before  I  join  you,  you  will,  of  course,  shoot.  Do  you  under- 
stand?" 

"  Quite." 

Yorke  went  up  to  his  room,  slung  his  rifle  and  bandolier 


A  BAND  OP  SCOUNDRELS  251 

over  his  shoulder,  and  then  went  down  and  put  the  saddle 
on  his  horse.  He  would  rather  have  walked,  but  he  knew 
that  no  Boer  would  have  dreamt  of  making  a  journey  of 
three  miles  on  foot,  and  to  do  so  would  have  strongly  ex- 
cited suspicion  in  the  mind  of  the  German,  that  he  was  not 
what  he  said.  He  did  not  bring  the  horse  out  until  Peter 
came  up. 

"Take  the  road  to  the  west,  Peter;  you  can't  walk  fast 
with  that  gun  down  your  leg".  I  shall  join  you  as  soon  as 
you  are  out  of  the  town — you  are  not  likely  to  meet  anyone 
after  that — and  I  will  carry  your  rifle  as  well  as  mine.  It 
would  be  more  natural  for  me  to  have  two  guns  than  for 
you  to  have  one — I  might  have  left  the  second  one  in  the 
town  to  be  repaired  the  last  time  I  was  here,  and  be  now 
taking  it  home." 

Yorke  waited  ten  minutes,  and  then  took  the  horse  out 
and  mounted.  It  was  now  a  quarter  to  eight,  and  there  was 
no  time  to  be  lost.  He  overtook  Peter  half  a  mile  outside 
the  town,  and  the  Kaffir  at  once  handed  him  his  rifle. 

"  Now,  you  must  trot,"  he  said,  "  or  Hans  will  be  there 
before  us." 

They  went  at  a  brisk  trot,  but  did  not  overtake  Hans  on 
the  road.  They  found  him,  however,  sitting  at  the  point 
where  the  other  road  turned  ofi. 

"  Have  you  seen  any  of  your  friends,  Hans  ? " 

"No.  At  least,  I  did  see  two  of  them  in  the  town,  but 
they  were  talking  together  and  did  not  notice  me." 

"  Now  I  shall  go  up  to  the  door  and  knock.  Directly  it 
is  opened,  I  shall  point  my  rifle  at  the  man's  head,  and  tell 
him  he  is  a  dead  man  if  he  utters  a  word.  Then  you  will 
run  in  and  bind  him.  I  have  brought  the  horses'  picket 
ropes  with  me.  You  will  take  charge  of  him,  Peter,  while  I 
go  in  with  Hans.  I  don't  want  to  alarm  the  family  till  I 
have  got  the  other  two  fellows  tied  up.  We  will  find  out 
the  way  to  the  kitchen.  There  is  no  fear  of  their  making 
any  resistance  when  they  see  a  couple  of  guns  pointed  at 


252  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

them.  You  will  take  charge  of  them,  Hans,  while  I  go  in 
and  explain  matters  to  Mr.  Chambers." 

It  was  quite  dark  when  they  arrived  at  the  house.  Yorke 
dismounted  at  the  g"ate,  and  told  Peter  to  take  the  horse 
round  to  the  other  side  of  the  house  and  fasten  it  up  at 
some  quiet  spot,  and  then  to  rejoin  him.  On  his  return 
Hans  and  Peter  took  up  their  places  one  on  each  side  of  the 
door,  and  Yorke  went  up  the  steps  and  knocked.  It  was 
some  little  time  before  he  was  answered.  He  thought  it 
likely  that  the  men  would  be  consulting  together  as  to 
whether  they  would  let  the  visitor  in  or  not.  At  last  the 
door  opened. 

"Mr.  Chambers  id  not  in,"  the  man  said.  "Whatever 
your  business,  you  must  come  to-morrow." 

"My  business  will  not  wait,"  Yorke  said,  and  raised  the 
gun  which  he  held  in  his  hand. 

The  man  started  back. 

"You  are  before  your  time,"  he  said.  "Nine  o'clock  is 
the  hour." 

"  This  is  your  hour  and  minute,  for  if  you  make  the 
slightest  sound  I  will  put  a  bullet  through  your  brain. 
Neither  speak  nor  move." 

The  man  stood  paralysed,  altogether  unable  to  understand 
the  situation. 

"  Come  in,"  Yorke  said  to  his  followers.  "  Tie  this  man 
up,  and  if  he  opens  his  lips  put  a  knife  into  him." 

In  a  minute  the  fellow  was  laid  on  the  ground,  and  se- 
curely tied  hand  and  foot. 

"Don't  take  your  eye  off  him,  Peter.  Put  your  knife 
into  him  if  he  moves.  Now  then,  Hans." 

Yorke  moved  along  the  hall  to  a  door  standing  open  lead- 
ing to  the  kitchen.  There  was  a  passage  with  an  open  door 
at  the  other  end. 

"Who  is  the  visitor,  Mike?"  a  man's  voice  asked  as  he 
came  along,  Hans  treading  lightly  behind  him.  "  Of  course 
you  sent  him  away?" 


A  BAND  OF  SCOUNDBELS  253 

"Not  exactly,"  Yorke  replied,  as  he  and  Hans  walked 
into  the  kitchen  with  their  rifles  ready  for  action. 

A  girl  gave  a  slight  scream  of  alarm,  while  the  men  leapt 
to  their  feet,  and  then  stood  immovable  as  the  rifles  were 
pointed  at  their  heads. 

"  You  are  my  prisoners,"  Yorke  said  sternly  to  them,  "  and 
if  either  of  you  moves,  he  is  a  dead  man.  Hans,  take  the 
fellow  on  the  right;  put  your  rifle  by  my  side." 

"  Turn  round,"  he  said  to  the  man,  "  and  put  your  hands 
behind  you." 

The  fellow  did  as  he  was  told,  and  after  both  were  securely 
tied  up,  Yorke  said: 

"  Now,  take  your  rifle  again,  Hans,  and  shoot  either  of 
them  if  they  try  to  unloose  their  ropes. 

"Do  not  be  afraid,"  he  went  on  to  the  girl;  "we  are 
friends  of  your  master.  Which  room  is  he  in?" 

"  The  drawing-room,  sir." 

"  Then  show  me  into  another  room,  and  go  in  and  tell  him 
that  an  English  gentleman  wishes  to  speak  to  him." 

The  girl  obeyed  the  order  tremblingly.  She  thought  that 
Yorke  would  treat  her  master  as  he  had  treated  the  two 
men,  but  she  dared  not  disobey.  The  room  was  in  darkness, 
and  Yorke  handed  her  a  match-box,  saying: 

"  Go  and  light  the  lamp  or  candles,  whichever  you  have. 
I  shall  stand  at  the  door  while  you  deliver  the  message. 
Come  out  directly  you  have  given  it.  I  do  not  wish  to 
alarm  the  ladies." 

The  terrified  girl  struck  three  or  four  matches  before  she 
could  obtain  a  light.  Then  she  went  to  a  door  opposite. 

"  An  English  gentleman  wants  to  speak  to  you,  sir." 

"  Show  him  into  the  dining-room." 

Thinking  it  was  one  of  the  other  Englishmen  who  had, 
like  himself,  stayed  at  the  mines,  Mr.  Chambers  came  out. 
He  started  with  a  sudden  exclamation  as  his  eyes  fell  upon 
Peter,  standing  with  a  rifle  in  his  hand  by  the  side  of  his 
servant. 


254  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PBETOBIA. 

"If  you  will  step  inside,  Mr.  Chambers,  I  will  explain 
matters,"  Yorke  said,  stepping  forward.  "  There  is  no  oc- 
casion for  the  slightest  uneasiness,  and  I  have  taken  the 
steps  you  see  not  to  alarm  the  ladies  of  your  family." 

Mr.  Chambers  was  still  further  surprised  at  this  address 
by  a  stranger,  who,  in  spite  of  his  attire  as  a  Dutch  farmer, 
was  evidently  English. 

"  Who  are  you,  sir  ? "  he  asked,  "  and  what  is  the  meaning 
of  this  extraordinary  conduct?" 

"My  name  is  Harberton.  I  am  a  lieutenant  in  the  9th 
Lancers,  and  was,  when  I  was  captured  by  the  Boers,  acting 
as  one  of  General  Pole-Carew's  aides-de-camp.  You  have, 
no  doubt,  heard  to-day  of  my  escape  last  night  from  one  of 
the  prisons  at  Pretoria.  I  think  that  is  sufficient  intro- 
duction." 

"  Quite,"  Mr.  Chambers  said,  holding  out  his  hand  and 
shaking  that  of  Yorke ;  "  I  congratulate  you  on  your  es- 
cape. And  now,  will  you  explain  to  me  why  you  have  thus 
fallen  upon  my  servant  ? " 

He  walked  into  the  dining'-room  and  shut  the  door. 

"  Before  you  answer  my  question,  Mr.  Harberton,  I  must 
ask  if  you  are  in  need  of  refreshments  ? " 

"  Not  at  all,  sir.  I  will  now  give  you  an  account  of  this 
business." 

And  he  related  how  Hans  had  overheard  the  plot  to  cap- 
ture the  treasure  with  the  aid  of  Mr.  Chambers's  own  serv- 
ants, and  how  they  were  at  that  moment  already  gathering 
round  the  house. 

"Fools!"  Mr.  Chambers  said.  "They  would  have,  no 
doubt,  taken  my  life,  and  murdered  my  wife  and  daughters, 
but  the  gold  they  would  never  have  got.  I  will  explain  that 
afterwards.  You  have  indeed  rendered  me  an  inestimable 
service,  and  I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart,  in  my  own  name 
and  in  that  of  my  family.  So  you  have  all  these  rascals  of 
mine  tied  up  safely?" 

"  I  think  so,  sir ;  but  it  would  be  as  well  to  see  to  them  a 


'YOU   ABE   MY   PRISONERS,"  YORKE   6AID   STERNLY. 


A  BAND  OF  SCOUNDRELS  255 

little  more  closely,  for  I  shall  want  my  two  men  when  these 
fellows  arrive.  In  the  first  place,  can  they  enter  at  any 
other  point  than  at  the  front  door  ? " 

"No,  I  have  iron  shutters  to  all  the  windows.  They  are 
not  closed  at  the  present  moment,  for  on  such  a  hot  evening 
one  wants  air.  However,  that  will  be  the  first  step.  I  will 
turn  this  light  out,  and  then  we  can  shut  the  windows  and 
close  the  shutters  without  being  noticed  outside.  I  will  then 
go  round  with  you  to  the  other  rooms  and  shut  them  up  too, 
and  bolt  and  bar  the  back  door,  which  is  lined  with  iron. 
In  the  drawing-room,  I  will  ask  one  of  the  girls  to  shut  the 
windows  and  draw  down  the  blinds — even  if  the  scoundrels 
are  watching,  that  will  seem  a  natural  act — I  will  then  shut 
the  shutters  there,  and  tell  the  ladies  that  there  is  a  little 
trouble  ahead,  but  that  they  need  not  fear  or  be  in  the 
slightest  way  uneasy,  as  I  have  plenty  of  assistance,  and 
can  easily  dispose  of  some  ruffians  who  have  an  idea  of 
breaking  in;  I  had  better  request  them  to  go  upstairs  until 
the  matter  is  over." 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  all  the  preparations  were  made. 
The  three  servants  had  been  more  carefully  bound,  and 
were  beyond  any  possibility  of  loosing  their  ropes  unless  by 
very  prolonged  exertions.  They  had  just  finished  all  the 
preparations  when  a  whistle  was  heard  outside. 

"  That  was  the  signal  for  us  to  be  seized,"  Mr.  Chambers 
said  grimly.  "  L  suppose  they  will  give  their  accomplices 
five  minutes  to  carry  that  out.  How  had  we  better  post 
ourselves,  Mr.  Harberton?" 

"  I  should  say  two  in  each  doorway.  We  shall  all  have 
our  rifles  ready,  and  I  would  let  them  get  well  into  the  hall; 
then  we  can  step  out  when  I  say  '  Now ! '  and  let  drive  at 
them.  Our  three  Mausers  will  give  us  fifteen  shots,  and 
you  have  one  with  your  rifle  and  five  with  your  revolver. 
As  they  will  be  taken  wholly  by  surprise,  it  is  hardly  likely 
that  they  will  be  able  to  fire  a  single  shot,  and  we  ought  to 
be  able  to  account  for  almost  all  of  them.  I  think  we  had 


256  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

better  turn  out  the  lights  in  the  drawing-room  and  lower 
the  lamp  in  the  hall,  so  that  they  will  have  an  indistinct 
view  of  me  as  I  open  the  door." 

This  was  done.  Two  minutes  later  there  was  a  light  tap- 
ping on  the  door  outside.  Yorke  stepped  forward,  and 
opened  it  a  short  distance. 

"  Is  it  you  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Of  course  it  is.    Is  it  all  right  ? " 

"Yes,  everything  is  ready  for  you,"  and  he  quickly 
stepped  back  until  level  with  the  others. 

The  Joor  was  thrown  open,  and  a  number  of  men  poured  in. 

"Turn  up  the  light!"  one  said,  with  an  oath.  "What 
have  you  turned  it  down  for?  There,  shut  that  door  behind 
you;  one  of  the  women  may  have  got  a  revolver,  and  we 
don't  want  the  sound  heard.  Now,  where  are — " 

«  Here,"  Yorke  replied. 

He  turned  up  the  light,  the  other  three  instantly  stepped 
out,  and  four  rifles  were  fired  almost  simultaneously. 
Shrieks,  oaths  of  fury*  and  heavy  falls  were  heard  as  Yorke 
and  his  companions  emptied  the  magazines  of  their  rifles 
into  the  group,  and  the  cracks  of  Mr.  Chambers's  revolver 
joined  in  the  din.  Not  a  shot  was  fired  in  return.  When  the 
last  cartridge  had  been  fired,  most  of  the  assailants  lay  dead 
in  the  hall;  the  men  who  had  last  entered,  panic-stricken  at 
the  sudden  outburst  of  fire,  had  tried  to  open  the  door  they 
had  just  closed,  but  the  backward  rush  of  the  others  pre- 
vented them  from  doing  so,  and  it  was  not  until  ten  had 
fallen  that  the  other  two  were  able  to  open  the  door  and 
'fly.  Hastily  recharging  the  magazines,  Yorke  and  his  two 
followers  ran  out,  but  a  moment  later  they  heard  the  sounds 
of  galloping  horses  and  cracking  whips,  and  knew  that  pur- 
suit would  be  futile.  However,  as  they  had  the  names  of  the 
owners  of  the  carts,  this  mattered  little,  and  they  returned 
to  the  house.  Mr.  Chambers  had  at  once  gone  upstairs  to 
assure  the  ladies  that  the  affair  was  over,  and  that  none  of 
those  in  the  house  had  been  hurt. 


A  BAND  OP  SCOUNDRELS  257 

Examining  the  bodies,  they  found  that  most  of  them  had 
two  bullet-wounds  and  some  three,  the  Mauser  bullets  hav- 
ing at  that  short  range  passed  through  two  or  even  more 
bodies.  Several  were  hit  in  the  head,  but  most  of  them  in 
the  chest. 

"  That  is  just  as  well,"  Yorke  said,  when  he  had  ascer- 
tained that  none  of  them  were  breathing.  "It  will  save  all 
further  trouble." 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  sound  of  steps  outside,  and 
a  loud,  continuous  knocking  at  the  door.  Mr.  Chambers 
threw  open  the  window  upstairs. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  he  asked. 

"We  have  just  run  down  from  the  mine,  sir;  we  heard 
the  sound  of  firing  here." 

"  Thank  you,  lads ;  it  is  all  over  now,  but  you  may  be  of 
use,"  and  he  ran  down  and  opened  the  door. 

Six  men  were  there  all  armed  with  guns. 

"You  see  there  has  been  a  hard  fight  here,  lads,"  he  said, 
as  an  exclamation  of  surprise  broke  from  the  men  at  the 
scene  in  the  hall.  "  Fortunately  I  had  been  warned  just  in 
time,  and  with  the  aid  of  this  gentleman  and  his  friends 
have,  as  you  see,  killed  ten  of  them;  only  two  got  away. 
Now,  I  do  not  want  any  talk  about  it.  Lend  a  hand,  will 
you,  to  get  the  bodies  outside;  then  I  want  a  hole  dug  deep 
enough  to  hold  them.  Put  it  a  hundred  yards  away  from 
the  house.  It  will  be  a  heavy  job,  but  I  will  put  that  right 
with  you  on  Saturday." 

"  Shall  we  get  the  other  five  men  up  from  below,  sir  ? " 

"  No ;  I  don't  want  the  matter  talked  about,  and  the  fewer 
that  know  of  it  the  less  chance  there  is  of  its  getting  about. 
I  trust  that  you  will  all  keep  a  silent  tongue  about  the 
affair." 

"You  can  trust  us  for  that,  sir.  None  of  you  are  hurt, 
I  hope?" 

"Not  in  the  slightest.  There  was  not  a  shot  fired  on 
their  side,  we  took  them  completely  by  surprise." 

(M839)  B 


258  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETORIA 

"  I  should  say,  sir,  the  best  place  to  bury  them  would  be 
to  make  a  hole  in  the  foot  of  one  of  the  pit-heaps,  then  we 
can  shovel  the  loose  stuff  down  from  above.  It  would  be  a 
much  shorter  job  than  digging  a  hole,  and  there  is  no  chance 
of  their  ever  being  disturbed  there." 

"A  very  good  plan,  Simmonds.  It  will  be  an  unpleasant 
job,  anyhow.  Wait  a  minute." 

On  going  to  the  dining-room  he  returned  with  two  bottles 
of  whisky.  Hans  and  Peter  assisted  in  carrying  the  bodies 
outside,  and  then  offered  to  bring  pails  of  water  and  remove 
the  blood-stains  in  the  hall,  and  after  that  to  assist  in  carry- 
ing the  bodies  away. 

By  this  time  the  servant  had  come  down  and  relighted 
the  lamps  in  the  drawing-room,  and  Yorke  and  Mr.  Cham- 
bers went  in  there. 

"  I  wonder,  sir,"  Yorke  said,  "  that  you  were  not  afraid 
to  keep  so  large  a  sum  in  your  house." 

"I  do  not  generally  do  so.  As  the  gold  is  melted  down, 
it  is  brought  here  for  safety,  and  once  a  week  it  is  sent  to 
the  bank,  so  that  the  amount  seldom  exceeds  two  thousand 
ounces.  But  this  time  it  has  been  altogether  different. 
When  I  saw  that  Kruger  was  bent  upon  war,  I  put  all  hands 
on  to  get  the  richest  stuff  in  our  reserves.  The  consequence 
was  that  the  weekly  output  was  five  times  as  large  as  usual. 
I  sent  the  ordinary  amount  to  the  bank,  keeping  the  other 
by  me,  and  intended  to  send  it  all  down  at  once  by  rail  in 
boxes  with  false  marks  on  them,  or  if  I  could  not  do  that, 
to  keep  it  here  till  the  war  was  over.  Kruger's  sudden 
ultimatum  took  me,  as  well  as  everyone  else,  by  surprise. 
I  was  certain  then  that  I  could  not  get  it  down,  and  that 
if  I  sent  it  to  the  bank,  Kruger  and  his  people  would  lay 
hands  upon  it,  as,  in  fact,  they  did  with  what  I  had  sent  in. 

"It  was  only  a  few  of  the  officials  in  the  smelting-room 
who  had  any  idea  of  the  output,  and  even  these  could  hardly 
have  told  what  amount  I  sent  into  the  bank.  It  is  clear, 
however,  that  one  of  them  must  have  carelessly  mentioned 


A  BAND  OF  SCOUNDRELS  239 

it,  and  that  these  fellows  who  made  this  attack  must  have 
discovered,  perhaps  from  my  servants  who  used  to  help  to 
load  the  van,  or  from  one  of  the  guards  who  had  accom- 
panied it  to  unload  it  at  the  bank,  that  as  the  amount  sent 
in  was  about  the  same  as  usual,  there  must  remain  a  very 
large  sum  indeed  hidden.  I  had  really  very  little  fear  of  the 
house  being  broken  into,  but  in  order  to  prevent  any  suspi- 
cion of  there  being  money  here,  I  discharged  the  men  who 
always  kept  watch  round  the  house  at  night  at  the  same 
time  that  I  paid  off  all  the  other  hands,  except  the  engineers 
who  kept  the  pumping-engine  at  work  to  keep  down  the 
water  in  the  mines.  Then  I  relied  upon  the  fact  that  bur- 
glars getting  into  the  house  would  have  difficulty  in  finding 
the  safe,  and  still  more  difficulty  in  opening  it. 

"  I  had  no  doubt  as  to  the  honesty  of  my  servants,  who 
alone  knew  its  position;  but  they  did  not  know  the  manner 
in  which  it  was  protected.  It  is  situated  under  my  study, 
which  is  at  the  back  of  this  room.  The  safe  is  an  extremely 
strong  one,  of  alternate  sheets  of  steel  and  iron,  and  was 
made  specially  for  me.  It  opens  at  the  top,  and  you  get  at 
it  by  taking  up  the  carpet  in  the  study  and  lifting  a  trap- 
door. The  vault  in  which  the  safe  stands  is  two  feet  each 
way  wider  than  the  safe,  and  as  this  stands  in  the  centre, 
there  is  a  foot  of  vacant  space  on  each  side  of  it.  Eound  the 
upper  part  of  the  safe  there  is  a  sliding  apparatus  by  which 
a  stout  steel  case,  like  a  bottomless  box,  can  be  drawn  up 
to  the  level  of  the  trap-door.  This,  however,  is  only  done 
when  the  safe  is  to  be  opened. 

"  In  the  next  place,  I  have  a  communication  from  what  I 
may  call  the  strong-room  both  with  the  pipe  which  brings 
water  for  the  garden  and  with  a  large  cistern  upstairs.  Thus, 
the  strong-room  is  kept  filled  with  water,  and  the  safe  is 
therefore  surrounded  above  as  well  as  on  its  four  sides  with 
water.  When  I  want  to  open  the  safe,  I  go  into  the  study 
by  myself,  lift  the  heavy  trap-door,  which  is  cased  with  an 
inch  of  steel,  but  is  easily  moved  by  means  of  a  counter- 


260  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

poise,  and  then,  with  the  aid  of  a  lever  in  a  secret  closet, 
push  up  this  box  until  it  is  level  with  the  floor.  I  may  say 
that  the  safe  is  three  inches  wider  each  way  than  the  trap- 
door. The  door  of  the  safe  itself  being  one  inch  narrower 
each  way  than  the  trap-door,  opens  through  it. 

11  Having  got  this  box,  which  is  perfectly  water-tight,  into 
its  place,  I  work  another  handle  in  a  secret  cupboard  and 
pump  out  the  water  in  the  frame  above  the  safe,  and  then 
open  the  door  of  the  safe,  and  it  is  now  ready  for  the  men 
to  come  in  and  store  the  gold  away.  When  they  have  left 
I  close  the  door  of  the  safe,  lower  the  frame  to  its  place, 
and  the  safe  is  at  once  covered  with  a  foot  of  water.  Thus, 
you  see,  burglars  would  have  a  succession  of  difficulties. 
They  would,  in  the  first  place,  be  obliged  to  cut  through  the 
steel  of  the  trap-door,  then  they  would  find,  to  their  surprise, 
water  immediately  underneath  them,  and  until  this  was  re- 
moved it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  blow  in  the  door 
of  the  safe.  They  would  naturally  try  to  bucket  it  out, 
but  as  it  would  come  in  again  as  fast  as  they  did  so,  they 
would  gain  nothing  by  it.  They  might  try  to  blow  in  the 
safe  with  waterproof  cartridges,  but  I  doubt  whether  they 
would  succeed. 

"  The  lid  is  of  immense  strength.  If  they  did  succeed  in 
bursting  it  there  is  another  equally  strong  a  foot  lower,  and 
this  also  would  have  to  be  destroyed.  Even  then  the  holes 
made  would  not  be  sufficient  to  let  them  through,  and  the 
only  way  they  could  possibly  get  the  gold  out  would  be  to 
try  and  fish  out  the  boxes  with  a  hook  at  the  end  of  a  pole — 
again  an  almost  impossible  task,  as  the  boxes  are  square, 
very  heavy,  and  packed  tightly  together,  so  that  there  would 
be  nothing  to  get  hold  of.  I  may  say  that  I  got  the  idea 
from  reading,  in  the  time  of  the  Commune  of  Paris,  how  the 
bank  was  able  to  protect  the  specie  in  its  vaults  by  filling 
them  with  water  from  the  mains.  I  worked  out  the  details 
myself,  and  I  think  I  improved  on  the  original,  though 
that  was  good  enough— for  it  baffled  all  the  efforts  of 


A  BAND  OF  SCOUNDRELS  261 

the  mechanics  and  engineers  of  the  Commune  to  get  at  the 
money." 

"  That  is  a  splendid  plan  certainly,  sir,"  Yorke  said. 

"Yes,  but  though  it  would  have  saved  the  gold,  it  would 
not  have  saved  our  lives;  and  had  I  thought  that  the  amount 
there  is  in  the  safe  was  known  to  anyone  now  in  Johannes- 
burg, I  think  I  should  have  shut  up  the  house  and  moved  to 
the  one  I  have  in  the  town,  contenting  myself  with  keeping 
a  couple  of  watchmen  in  this  house,  and  seeing  that  all  was 
right  every  day  when  I  came  to  see  that  the  men  at  the 
pumping-engine  were  doing  their  duty.  That  is  what  I  shall 
most  likely  do  now.  Not  that  I  think  there  is  any  proba- 
bility of  a  renewal  of  the  attempt;  the  lesson  has  been  alto- 
gether too  severe." 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do,  sir,  with  your  three  rascals  ? " 

"I  shall  go  to-morrow  to  the  head  of  the  police  and  tell 
him  that  they  had  tried  to  rob  the  house,  and  ask  him  to 
send  down  half  a  dozen  men  to  take  them  by  the  next  train 
to  Komati  Poort.  I  could  do  nothing"  with  them  here,  for 
your  man  Hans  is  the  only  witness  against  them,  and  he 
could  not,  of  course,  appear.  Fortunately  they  do  not  know 
that,  and  I  shall  tell  them  that  if  I  were  to  hand  them  over  to 
the  police  and  charge  them  with  this  crime  they  would  cer- 
tainly be  hanged.  However,  I  am  willing  to  allow  for  the 
temptation  they  had,  and  shall  only  charge  them  with  dis- 
honesty, and  have  them  then  sent  out  of  the  Transvaal.  As 
no  doubt  at  present  they  expect  nothing  short  of  hanging, 
they  will  be  glad  enough  to  be  let  off  so  lightly." 

"  They  certainly  ought  to  be,"  Yorke  said  warmly,  "  for 
they  are  a  great  deal  worse  than  the  others.  Whatever  dis- 
charged men  and  the  ruffians  of  the  town  might  have  done, 
your  servants,  who  I  have  no  doubt  were  well  treated  by  you, 
ought  to  have  been  faithful." 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,  Mr.  Harberton ;  but  you  see  that 
it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  me  not  to  have  the  matter 
talked  about.  If  there  were  an  enquiry,  it  would  of  course 


262  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

oome  out  that  there  is  a  large  sum  of  money  in  the  house, 
and  you  may  be  quite  sure  that  Kruger  would  commandeer 
it.  As  it  is,  a  bribe  of  a  couple  of  hundred-pounds  to  the  head 
of  the  police  will  ensure  these  fellows  being  sent  out  of  the 
country  without  an  opportunity  being  given  them  of  saying 
a  word  to  anyone.  And  you  may  be  sure  that  I  shall  impress 
upon  them  that  if  they  ever  set  foot  in  the  Transvaal  again 
I  will  have  them  arrested  at  once  on  this  charge.  In  that 
way  I  have  every  hope  that  the  affair  will  be  kept  altogether 
dark.  You  don't  know,  of  course,  whether  the  two  men  who 
brought  the  carts  were  included  in  the  twelve?" 

"  I  do  not,  sir,  but  I  should  think  it  very  likely ;  they  did 
not  want  to  have  to  divide  the  spoil  into  more  portions  than 
necessary.  I  should  think  it  most  probable  that  they  left 
their  carts  outside  and  came  in  with  the  others.  Whether 
they  were  among  those  who  were  killed  or  not,  of  course  I 
cannot  say." 

"  Yes,  I  should  think  they  would  be  sure  to  come  in  with 
the  others,"  Mr.  Chambers  said ;  "  and  in  that  case  there  are 
only  two  men  who  know  anything  about  this  matter,  and 
you  may  be  sure  that  they  will  keep  their  mouths  closed. 
Well,  we  have  talked  more  than  enough  of  my  affairs.  Now 
about  yourself.  If  you  and  your  two  followers  like  to  stay 
here,  I  think  you  might  certainly  do  so  with  safety.  I  need 
not  say  how  heartily  welcome  you  would  be." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.  But  though  I  will  gladly  stay  till  morn- 
ing, I  must  then  be  off.  I  am  anxious  to  get  back  as  quickly 
as  possible  to  rejoin  Lord  Methuen's  force.  I  have  now  been 
nearly  a  month  away.  Then,  too,  I  must  put  in  an  appear- 
ance at  the  hotel  where  I  have  been  staying,  for  I  was 
obliged  to  enquire  the  way  to  your  house.  The  landlord  will 
be  expecting  me  back  to-night,  and  I  shall  have  to  make 
some  excuse  for  my  absence.  And  if  I  do  not  appear  in 
the  morning,  he  might  suspect  that  something  was  wrong, 
and  give  information,  with  a  description  of  my  appearance, 
to  the  authorities." 


DOWN  COUNTBY  263 

"That  I  could  arrange,"  Mr.  Chambers  said.  "I  could 
look  in  there  myself  in  the  morning,  and  say  that  as  it  was 
so  late  and  the  night  dark  I  had  asked  you  to  stay  at  my 
house  till  morning,  and  that  you  had  gone  off  without  re- 
turning to  the  town.  Ah,  there  are  my  wife  and  daughters ! " 


CHAPTEE  XV 

DOWN  COUNTRY 

£  6  rpl  HIS  is  Mr.  Harherton,  to  whom  we  all  owe  our  lives," 
J_  Mr.  Chambers  said  as  his  wife,  followed  by  her  two 
daughters,  girls  of  sixteen  and  eighteen,  entered  the  room. 

"  I  do  not  know  how  to  thank  you,  sir,"  Mrs.  Chambers 
said  as  she  shook  hands  with  Yorke,  "  for  assuredly  we 
should  all  have  been  murdered  had  it  not  been  for  your 
warning  and  assistance.". 

"  It  is  rather  to  my  man  than  to  myself  you  are  indebted, 
Mrs.  Chambers,  for  it  is  he  who  overheard  the  conversation 
this  afternoon  at  which  the  affair  was  finally  arranged.  He 
showed  greater  sharpness  than  I  should  have  given  him 
credit  for.  As  an  ordinary  thing  .7ie  would  merely  have 
taken  a  glass  of  liquor  and  left  the  place;  but  the  fact  that 
the  men  in  the  saloon  stopped  speaking  when  he  went  in, 
and  asked  him  whether  he  spoke  English,  and  were  not  satis- 
fied that  he  could  not,  but  went  into  another  room  to  talk, 
excited  his  curiosity,  and,  sitting  with  his  ear  against  the 
partition,  he  was  able  to  make  out  what  they  were  saying." 

"  That  was  very  sharp  of  him,"  Mrs.  Chambers  said;  "but 
it  is  pretty  certain  he  would  have  taken  no  steps  in  the 
matter  had  it  not  been  for  your  leading,  especially  as  he 
was  himself,  as  I  understand  from  my  husband,  instru- 
mental in  aiding  your  escape  from  prison,  and  so  dared  not 
attract  attention. 


264  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"Do  not,  I  beg  of  you,  try  to  minimize  the  service  you 
have  rendered  us,  for  you  certainly  will  not  lessen  the  obliga- 
tion that  we  are  under  to  you.  I  shudder  to  think  of  the 
great  danger  we  have  escaped.  I  know  it  is  not  likely  that 
another  attack  will  be  made  yet,  but  I  shall  never  feel  com- 
fortable here  after  this,  and  my  husband  has  promised  to 
take  us  into  our  town  house  to-morrow  morning,  to  stop 
till  the  war  is  over.  We  hope  you  will  go  with  us." 

"  Mr.  Harberton  says  that  he  must  be  off  at  once,  my  dear. 
He  wants  to  get  back  to  the  fighting  again." 

"I  am  sorry  indeed  for  that.  It  seems  unnatural,  after 
what  he  has  done  for  us,  that  we  should  let  him  go  away  so 
soon.  Now,  do  tell  us  something  about  yourself — but  first, 
where  have  you  put  those  men,  John?" 

"  One  is  locked  up  in  the  cellar,  another  in  the  stables, 
and  the  third  in  the  wood-house,  so  that  they  cannot  aid 
each  other  to  get  away." 

"  At  any  rate,"  she  went  on,  "  none  of  us  will  feel  inclined 
for  much  sleep  to-night;  and  we  want  to  know  all  about  Mr. 
Harberton  and  how  his  Dutch  servant  came  to  be  at  Pretoria, 
and  all  about  what  he  has  been  doing  since  he  landed,  and 
the  truth  about  the  battles  that  have  been  fought.  But 
before  he  begins,  will  you  go  into  the  kitchen,  girls,  and 
help  Jane  get  some  tea  in  the  dining-room,  with  whatever 
there  is  in  the  house.  It  will  do  us  all  good,  and  we  won't 
ask  Mr.  Harberton  to  tell  his  story  till  we  have  had  what  we 
may  call  supper." 

"  While  they  are  away,"  Mr.  Chambers  said,  "  I  may  as 
well  ask  you  as  to  whether  you  have  any  plans  for  getting 
down  to  the  Modder  ? " 

"  No,  I  have  no  distinct  plans,  except  that,  as  you  see,  I 
am  dressed  as  a  young  Boer  farmer,  and  as  I  talk  the 
language  sufficiently  to  pass  muster,  I  can  support  the  char- 
acter well  enough." 

"But  how  is  it  that  you  talk  Dutch,  or  rather  I  suppose 
I  should  say  Taal,  Mr.  Harberton  ? " 


DOWN  COUNTRY  265 

"That  I  will  tell  you  presently,"  Yorke  laughed,  "or  I 
shall  have  to  go  over  the  same  thing  twice.  My  man  Hans 
is  my  regimental  servant,  and  has  learnt  to  speak  English 
very  fairly,  and  of  course  knows  Dutch.  My  Kaffir  speaks 
Dutch  and  a  little  English,  and  as  I  speak  a  little  Kaffir 
we  get  on  very  well  together.  He  has  just  put  up  my  horse 
in  your  stable.  I  had  no  time  to  lose  when  I  first  came 
here,  and  fastened  him  up  behind  the  house,  where  he  was 
not  likely  to  be  observed  if  any  of  those  fellows  went  round 
there.  As  for  getting  to  the  Modder,  it  appeared  to  me  that 
as  a  Dutch  farmer,  with  one  of  his  farm  hands  and  a  Kaffir 
labourer,  I  might  get  through  without  exciting  much  suspi- 
cion." 

"You  might,  and  you  might  not,"  Mr.  Chambers  said. 
"  You  see,  almost  all  the  able-bodied  men  are  away  with  the 
commandos,  and  you  would  be  likely  to  be  closely  questioned 
as  to  why  you  were  not  in  the  field.  If  you  were  going  the 
other  way  it  would  be  more  easy,  for  you  might  then  say  that 
you  were  coming  from  Cape  Colony,  as  thousands  of  others 
have  done,  to  join  the  Boers.  But  even  in  that  case  it  would 
seem  strange  that  you  were  going  away  from  the  fighting 
instead  of  joining  a  commando  at  once;  but  it  would  be  still 
more  strange  that  you  should  have  come  up  to  Johannesburg. 
What  did  you  say  at  the  inn?  what  excuse  did  you  make 
for  enquiring  where  I  lived  ? " 

"I  pretended  that  my  people  had  all  gone  on  commando, 
leaving  me  to  look  after  the  farm,  and  that  I  was  going  over 
to  see  you  about  some  cattle  that  you  wanted  for  the  men 
still  working  on  the  mine.  The  man  was  a  German,  and 
did  not,  I  think,  see  anything  unlikely  in  my  story." 

"Yes,  but  though  that  might  do  very  well  here,  it  would 
hardly  do  elsewhere.  Besides,  these  Boers  are  all  related  or 
connected  with  each  other,  and,  ignorant  as  they  are  on  other 
matters,  can  give  the  name  of  almost  every  family  within 
fifty  or  sixty  miles  of  where  they  live,  and  know  more  or 
less  the  name  of  every  farmer  in  the  Transvaal.  The  land' 


266  WITH  BOBEETS  TO  PBETOBIA 

drosts  of  all  the  towns  will  have  been  warned  to  look  out 
for  a  young  English  officer  and  a  young  Dutchman,  who  will 
no  doubt  be  making  for  the  frontier,  and  two  of  you  at 
least  answer  to  the  personal  description;  your  dress  would 
not  go  for  much,  as  they  would  be  sure  that  the  man  who 
aided  your  escape  would  also  procure  a  disguise  for  you. 
However,  we  must  put  our  heads  together  to-morrow  and 
see  if  we  can  hit  on  some  plan." 

After  the  meal  was  finished,  Mr.  Chambers  asked  Yorke 
to  tell  them  something1  about  himself  and  what  he  had  seen 
of  the  war. 

"  It  is  of  yourself  that  we  principally  want  to  know,"  he 
said.  "After  the  services  you  have  rendered  us,  we  should 
like  to  know  as  much  as  possible  about  you  and  your  people 
at  home,  and  in  fact  anything  that  you  may  choose  to  tell 
us,  especially  as  to  your  prospects  in  the  future.  The  longer 
you  make  your  story,  the  better  we  shall  be  pleased.  Cer- 
tainly I  shall  not  go  to  bed  to-night,  and  I  don't  think  either 
my  wife  or  daughters  will  be  anxious  to  do  so  for  some 
time." 

There  was  a  general  murmur  cf  agreement. 

Yorke  accordingly  told  of  his  life  at  home,  the  reason  why 
he  had  come  out,  how  he  had  learnt  Dutch  and  a  little  Kaffir 
on  his  cousin's  farm,  how  his  resolve  to  enlist  in  the  war 
had  been  quickened  by  the  quarrel  with  Dirck  Jansen,  and 
how,  after  scouting  for  a  short  time  with  twenty  Kaffirs 
under  his  command,  he  had  witnessed  the  four  battles,  and 
had  gained  a  commission  in  the  Lancers  by  carrying  a  mes- 
sage into  Kimberley  and  back  to  the  Modder.  Then  he 
told  of  his  capture,  how  Hans  had,  with  the  Kaffir,  journeyed 
up  to  Pretoria  to  rescue  him,  and  how  they  had  finally  suc- 
ceeded. 

"Well,  you  have  certainly  managed  to  crowd  a  great  deal 
of  adventure  into  little  more  than  a  year,  Mr.  Harberton, 
and  have  done  well  all  through,  and  deserved  the  commission 


DOWN  COUNTRY  267 

you  have  won.  So  you  say  you  saw  Khodes  in  Kimberley? 
Did  you  have  much  talk  with  him  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir,  he  asked  me  a  great  many  questions,  and  I  told 
him,  though  not  so  fully,  what  I  have  told  you.  He  asked 
if  I  intended  to  stop  in  the  army  after  the  war  was  over. 
I  said  that  I  had  no  idea  of  doing1  so,  as  I  had  come  out 
with  the  intention  of  making  money.  He  was  good  enough 
to  speak  flatteringly  of  my  having  learned  to  speak  Dutch  so 
soon,  and  said  that  if,  when  things  were  settled,  I  would  go 
to  him,  he  would  have  a  berth  for  me  and  push  me  forward." 

"  You  could  not  have  a  better  patron.  He  is  the  biggest 
man  out  here  by  far,  and  is  virtually  king  of  Rhodesia.  But 
you  will  please  remember  that  I  must  have  some  say  in 
the  matter,  and  a  very  considerable  one.  None  of  us  four 
would  be  alive  now  had  it  not  been  for  you.  And  though 
I  don't  think  those  scoundrels  would  have  got  at  the  gold, 
they  might  have  done  so,  for  they  would  have  had  plenty 
of  time;  as,  if  any  of  the  engineers  had  wanted  to  know  any- 
thing, one  of  my  servants  would  only  have  had  to  say  that  I 
was  ill,  or  away  for  a  few  days,  and  before  a  week  they 
might  very  well  have  found  out  how  the  strong-room  was 
filled  with  water,  cut  off  the  supply,  and  then  emptied  it 
out  far  enough  to  allow  them  to  work  at  the  safe.  I  cannot 
assert  that  the  gold  is  absolutely  safe  yet;  there  is  no  saying 
what  may  happen  before  the  troops  arrive  here.  The  greed 
of  Kruger  and  his  gang  is  insatiable,  and  they  may  search 
every  house  belonging  to  the  bank  managers  from  top  to 
bottom,  and  demand  to  inspect  the  safes." 

"  Why  not  bury  some  of  it,  sir,  in  one  of  the  mine  tips, 
just  as  they  have  hidden  the  bodies  ? " 

"  Because,  although  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  the 
twelve  white  men  who  are  still  at  work  are  all  honest  fellows, 
there  is  a  point  at  which  temptation  may  be  too  great,  and  I 
might  find,  when  I  came  to  examine  the  horde,  that  it  was 
all  gone.  They  are  not  aware  of  the  existence  of  my  store 


268  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

here,  and  it  is  well  they  should  not  be.  One  has  heard  be- 
fore now  of  ships  laden  with  treasure  being  seized  by  their 
crews,  who,  until  the  temptation  came  in  their  way,  may 
have  been  all  honest  fellows.  No,  I  will  take  the  chances. 
I  shall  tell  the  two  head  engineers  to  come  down  and  take 
up  their  quarters  here,  and  bring  two  good  men  out  of  each 
shift  with  them.  In  that  way  there  will  always  be  three 
men  in  the  house.  As  for  the  police  here,  they  are,  as  a 
whole,  the  biggest  rogues  in  the  place.  I  would  rather  shut 
up  the  house  and  leave  it  empty  than  have  any  of  them 
here.  Now,  it  is  two  o'clock,  and,  if  we  cannot  sleep,  I  have 
no  doubt  you  can.  I  will  show  you  up  to  a  bedroom.  I  had 
a  mattress  taken  down  to  the  kitchen,  where  you  told  me 
your  men  would  keep  watch  by  turns.  The  girls  both  look 
half-asleep,  and  you  and  I  will  wheel  the  two  sofas  up  near 
the  fire,  and  bring  the  one  in  tl-o  dining-room  here  for  my 
wife.  I  dare  say  I  shall  get  a  nap  in  the  arm-chair  presently. 
We  will  say  nine  o'clock  breakfast." 

"  Very  well,  sir,  I  will  be  here  by  that  time.  I  shall  ride 
over  to  the  town  early,  pay  my  visit  to  the  hotel,  and  then 
be  back  again  to  breakfast." 

The  events  of  the  evening  did  not  keep  Yorke  awake  long. 
"  I  do  think  I  am  the  luckiest  fellow  going,"  he  said  to 
himself  as  he  turned  into  bed.  "In  the  first  place,  I  get  a 
commission  in  the  army;  in  the  second,  I  obtain  Mr. 
Khodes's  good-will;  and  now  Mr.  Chambers,  one  of  the  rich- 
est men  in  Johannesburg,  is  going  to  take  me  up,  and  all 
from  a  series  of  accidents.  It  began,  certainly,  by  my 
learning  Dutch,  which  enabled  me  to  get  through  to  Kim- 
berley  and  get  a  commission,  thanks  to  the  accident  of  Peter 
getting  away  and  sticking  to  me.  Then  there  was  my  being 
captured.  That  did  not  seem  a  piece  of  good  fortune,  but, 
thanks  to  Hans's  sharpness,  it  has  turned  out  the  best  piece 
of  luck  of  all,  if  I  can  but  get  safely  back  to  the  Modder. 
There  is  an  old  saying  that  luck  is  better  than  riches.  I 
did  not  believe  this  formerly,  but  it  has  turned  out  so  in 


DOWN  COUNTRY  269 

my  case.  Had  not  my  father  lost  his  money  I  should  be 
grinding  away  at  Rugby,  and  should  have  thought  myself 
lucky  four  or  five  years  hence  to  get  a  curacy  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  pounds  a  year." 

Yorke  was  up  at  seven,  and  started  at  once  on  horseback 
for  the  town,  taking  Peter  with  him,  but  leaving  Hans 
behind  in  charge  of  the  prisoners. 

"  Where  have  you  been  all  night  ? "  the  innkeeper  asked. 

"  I  could  not  get  to  see  Mr.  Chambers  till  late,  and  after 
we  had  made  our  bargain,  he  gave  me  some  supper,  and 
then  said  I  might  as  well  stop  there  for  the  night.  He  put 
a  mattress  down  by  the  kitchen  fire,  and  I  slept  as  well  as 
I  (should  have  done  here.  I  am  off  now,  so  if  you  will  give 
me  my  bill  I  will  pay  it." 

"  Will  you  want  breakfast  ? " 

"  No,  I  shall  be  off  at  once ;  last  night's  supper  will  do 
till  I  get  back." 

"  Then,  here  is  your  bill,"  the  German  said,  taking  a  piece 
of  paper  from  his  pocket.  "  I  made  it  out  last  night,  think- 
ing you  might  be  starting  early.  There  it  is;  I  added  it  up, 
you  see,  and  should  have  put  on  the  cost  of  breakfast  had 
you  taken  it." 

Yorke  paid  the  bill  without  question,  though  it  was  as 
large  as  it  would  have  been  had  he  stopped  at  a  first-class 
hotel  in  London.  Then  he  rode  back  again  to  the  mine. 

"I  have  been  thinking  over  matters,"  Mr.  Chambers  said, 
as  they  were  sitting  down  to  breakfast,  "  and  it  seems  to  me 
that  to  begin  with,  you  would  travel  more  satisfactorily  and 
more  safely  in  a  Cape  cart  than  you  would  on  horseback.  I 
have  got  one  that  is  used  for  sending  messages  into  the 
town  and  fetching  things  out.  It  has  been  a  good  cart  in 
its  time,  and  is  so  still,  except  that  it  wants  repainting  and 
so  on.  I  can  let  you  have  a  horse  to  go  with  yours;  it  is 
a  good  serviceable  animal.  I  should  be  delighted  to  give  you 
a  pair  of  my  own,  but  they  would  be  sure  to  attract  atten- 
tion, for  I  rather  pride  myself  on  my  stud.  I  have  got 


270  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

double  harness  for  the  cart,  though  when  I  go  longer  Journeys 
I  follow  the  Boer  fashion  and  drive  four  horses." 

"  My  own  horse  is  used  to  being  driven ;  my  cousin  gen- 
erally had  it  out  when  he  went  in  to  Richmond.  I  am 
very  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  offer.  We  should  cer- 
tainly attract  less  attention  in  a  cart  than  if  we  all  rode. 
I  shall  myself  drive,  as  I  enjoy  it.  I  know  that  as  a  rule  the 
Boers  generally  let  the  Kaffirs  drive,  and  I  should  be  content 
to  do  so  myself;  but  a  good  many  Boers  do  drive." 

"  There  will  be  nothing  unusual  in  that ;  indeed,  about 
here  most  of  the  Boers  drive,  as  they  see  the  Uitlanders  do 
it.  I  will  put  another  saddle  in  the  cart,  for  when  you 
get  near  the  frontier  you  will  certainly  find  it  easier  to  get 
through  on  horseback. 

"I  should  advise  you  to  take  the  direct  road  south  to 
Bloemfontein.  I  have  a  friend  there;  he  is  a  Dutchman,  but 
a  thorough  believer  in  English  rule,  though,  of  course,  at 
present  he  has  to  keep  his  opinions  to  himself.  He  broke 
his  leg  some  years  ago  and  has  been  lame  ever  since,  and 
so  has  escaped  being  obliged  to  go  on  commando.  I  will 
write  a  letter  to  him  after  breakfast  strongly  recommending 
you  to  him.  I  shall  not  say  who  you  are,  or  that  you  are 
an  Englishman,  because  it  is  just  possible  that  you  may  be 
searched.  Anyway,  it  will  be  as  well  for  you  to  conceal 
the  letter  in  your  clothes.  I  will  write  a  second  letter  to 
him,  saying  that  you  have  been  employed  at  this  mine, 
which  is  correct  enough,  and  that,  as  I  have  no  further 
occasion  for  your  work,  you  are  now  going  down  to  take 
your  share  in  the  fighting.  I  will  also  get  you  a  pass  from 
the  head  of  the  police,  whom,  as  you  know,  I  am  going  over 
to  interview  directly  after  breakfast  with  reference  to  our 
prisoners.  I  will  get  it  made  out  in  the  name  of  Gert  Mey- 
ring,  of  the  Orange  Free  State.  It  is  natural  enough  that 
you  should  be  taking  down  with  you  a  young  Dutchman 
who  has  also  been  employed  at  the  mine,  and  who  is  going 
with  you  to  the  front,  and  that  you  should  have  a  Kaffir 


DOWN  COUNTRY  271 

with  you  also.  The  only  fear  is  that  your  description  might 
tally  so  closely  with  the  warning  that  has  been  sent,  that 
you  may  be  suspected." 

"  I  can  get  over  that,  sir;  I  had  a  wig  made  for  me  to  wear 
as  a  disguise,  if  necessary.  It  is  sewn  up  in  the  lining  of 
this  coat,  and  being  so  soft  it  altogether  escaped  attention 
when  I  was  first  searched.  I  am  sure  to  have  been  described 
as  having  closely-cropped  hair,  whereas  the  wig  comes  down 
to  my  shoulders  and  entirely  alters  my  appearance.  I  have 
never  worn  it  yet,  as  I  went  into  Kimberley,  as  I  told  you, 
in  uniform,  and  in  fact  up  till  now  have  never  given  the 
thing  a  thought  from  the  day  when  I  sewed  it  up.  That, 
and  darkening  my  eyebrows  to  match,  would  so  alter  my 
appearance  that  I  do  not  think  that  even  those  who  know 
me  well  would  recognize  me." 

"  That  is  capital ;  I  have  been  worrying  over  the  point  all 
morning.  I  wish  we  had  one  for  your  man  tco,  for  I  know 
he  also  was  described  in  the  telegram  yesterday  as  having 
closely-cropped  hair." 

"I  extemporized  a  wig1  for  myself  once  before,  sir,  and 
can  do  one  for  Hans,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  cut  some  hair 
from  two  of  your  horses'  tails." 

"  Certainly  you  can  do  that.  Is  there  anything  else  you 
will  want  ?  " 

"A  needle  and  thread,  sir,  and  if  you  have  such  a  thing 
as  a  glue-pot  in  the  house  it  will  be  all  the  better." 

"  Yes,  I  think  I  have  one  somewhere,  I  daresay  the  girl 
can  tell  you  where  it  is." 

"We  will  do  any  sewing  that  is  necessary,  Mr.  Harber- 
ton,"  the  elder  of  the  two  girls  said.  "  I  am  afraid  that  we 
are  useless  in  most  respects,  but  at  least  we  can  both  sew." 

Mr.  Chambers  went  out  with  Yorke  to  the  stables  and 
showed  him  the  horses  that  he  was  willing  to  have  despoiled 
of  a  portion  of  their  tails,  and  this,  with  a  pair  of  scissors 
that  the  girls  had  lent  him,  Yorke  speedily  accomplished. 
They  then  saddled  Mr.  Chambers's  favourite  horse,  and  he 


272  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

at  once  started.  He  was  away  an  hour  and  a  half,  lay  which 
time,  amid  a  good  deal  of  laughter  and  merriment,  the  hair 
had  heen  sewn  and  glued  into  Hans's  straw-hat.  Yorke  had 
also  got  out  his  wig  and  put  it  on,  and  even  Mrs.  Chambers, 
shaken  as  she  still  was  hy  the  incidents  of  the  night  before, 
joined  in  her  daughters'  hearty  laughter  at  the  changed  ap- 
pearance of  her  two  guests. 

"  The  police  will  be  here  at  twelve,  Mr.  Harberton,  there- 
fore, if  you  have  now  made  up  your  mind  to  start  to-day, 
it  would  be  as  well  that  you  should  be  away  before  they 
arrive.  You  know  I  should  be  delighted  if  you  would  stop 
a  few  days,  but  as  you  said  that  you  would  very  much  rather 
be  off  this  morning,  I  shall  not  try  to  persuade  you  to  do  so." 

Half  an  hour  later  all  was  ready  for  the  start.  Mr.  Cham- 
bers had  taken  Hans  aside.  "You  have  done  me  a  great 
service,"  he  said.  "  The  present  is  not  a  time  when  it  is 
safe  to  be  travelling  about  with  much  money  in  your  pos- 
session, especially  when  you  are  wanted  by  the  authorities, 
and  if  you  were  searched,  and  found  to  have  a  sum  of 
money  that  did  not  accord  with  your  apparent  position,  you 
would  not  only  lose  the  money,  but  your  liberty  as  well. 
Therefore,  I  do  not  propose  to  make  you  a  gift  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  but  I  engage  myself  to  pay  to  you  the  sum  of  five 
hundred  pounds  whenever  you  may  wish  to  buy  a  farm  or 
otherwise  settle  down  after  the  conclusion  of  the  war." 

Hans's  eyes  opened  with  surprise.  "  I  only  did  what  my 
master  told  me,  sir." 

"You  did  more.  Your  astuteness  in  listening  to  the  con- 
versation of  the  rascals  who  were  talking  in  that  drinking- 
shop  was  no  doubt  at  first  a  mere  matter  of  curiosity,  but 
the  fact  that  you  communicated  it  at  once  to  Mr.  Harberton 
enabled  him  to  take  the  steps  which  defeated  the  plot;  and 
you  bore  your  share  in  the  fight  itself.  My  name  is  well 
known,  I  think,  throughout  South  Africa,  and,  as  I  may  be 
away  from  the  country  when  you  wish  to  draw  the  money, 
here  is  a  promissory  note,  undated,  undertaking  to  pay  three 


DOWN  COUNTBY  273 

months  after  presentation  the  sum  of  five  hundred  pounds 
on  the  duly  certified  signature  of  Hans  Bernard;  and  with 
it  is  this  letter,  saying  that  I  have  handed  you  this  bill  in 
consideration  of  the  very  great  service  that  you  rendered 
me  in  discovering  and  thwarting  an  attempt  on  my  life. 
That  letter  can  do  you  no  harm  if  found  upon  you.  When 
the  war  is  over  you  can,  at  any  time,  hand  that  note  to  the 
bank  here,  or  to  any  of  its  branches  in  Natal,  or  to  its  agents. 
They  will  require  the  signature  of  Mr.  Harberton,  or  some 
other  person  known  to  them,  and  will  then  place  the  money 
at  your  disposal  as  soon  as  they  have  communicated  with 
the  bank  here." 

Without  waiting  for  any  thanks  from  Hans,  who  was  too 
overwhelmed  to  find  words  for  the  purpose,  he  went  across 
to  the  stables,  where  Peter  was  harnessing  the  horses. 
"  Peter,"  he  said,  "  your  master  tells  me  that  you  have  been 
very  faithful  to  him,  and  you  have  now  rendered  me  a 
service  by  helping  him  to  defeat  the  men  who  attacked  this 
place  last  night.  It  would  not  be  safe  to  give  you  money 
now,  as  you  may  be  searched  going  down  country,  but  I 
shall  give  him  authority  to  pay  you  two  hundred  pounds  for 
me  at  the  end  of  the  war.  Don't  spend  it  in  folly  at  the 
Cape;  go  back  to  your  own  people,  build  a  kraal,  buy  cattle, 
and  settle  down  there." 

Then  he  walked  away,  and  in  a  few  words  told  Yorke 
what  he  had  done.  "  They  have  both  proved  themselves  good 
men  by  their  devotion  to  you,"  he  said,  *"  it  will  give  them 
both  a  good  start  in  life." 

"  Thank  you  most  heartily,  Mr.  Chambers,  I  am  certain 
that  both  of  them  will  do  justice  to  your  kindness.  I  am 
sure  of  Hans  being  steady;  and,  as  I  have  already  persuaded 
the  Kaffir  to  swear  off  liquor,  he  will,  I  feel  certain,  take 
your  advice,  which  is  indeed  almost  the  same  as  I  gave  him 
when  getting  him  to  promise  not  to  spend  his  earnings  in 
drink.  These  native  labourers  with  the  army  are  all  paid 
very  high,  indeed  ridiculously  high  wages.  He  has  promised 

(M839)  8 


274  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

to  hand  over  his  pay,  when  he  gets  it,  to  me,  and  I  have 
undertaken  if  he  does  so  to  keep  him  in  tobacco,  so  he  will, 
if  the  war  lasts  for  a  year,  have  over  fifty  pounds  laid  by, 
which  will  add  to  his  sense  of  responsibility.  I  will  not 
draw  upon  you  for  the  money  until  he  is  ready  to  go  straight 
away  directly  he  gets  it.  Of  course,  I  do  not  know  what  I 
shall  be  doing  myself;  if  I  can,  I  shall  certainly  accompany 
him  and  see  him  settled.  As  to  Hans,  I  have  no  fear  as 
to  his  doing  well;  he  certainly  was  not  a  hard  worker  until 
I  went  to  my  cousin's  farm,  but  since  then  he  has  quite 
woke  up.  He  saw  the  advantage  of  irrigation  there,  and 
I  shall  strongly  advise  him  not  to  go  in  for  keeping  cattle, 
but  to  take  a  small  piece  of  good  land  near  this  town,  or 
Kimberley,  where  water  can  be  obtained  at  no  great  depth, 
and  to  go  in  for  growing  vegetables  for  sale  in  the  town. 
I  am  convinced  that  it  would  pay  splendidly." 

"He  certainly  could  not  do  better.  The  prices  of  vege- 
tables are  extravagantly  high,  and  he  can  dispose  of  any 
quantity  at  rates  that  would  pay  him  well.  Well,  there  is 
the  Kaffir  with  the  cart.  You  had  better  come  in  and  say 
good-bye  to  my  wife  and  daughters." 

Five  minutes  later  they  started,  with  strongly-expressed 
hopes  that  in  two  or  three  months  they  might  meet  again 
when  the  British  army  came  up. 

"  You  are  sure  to  find  me  here,"  Mr.  Chambers  said,  "  un- 
less, when  it  is  found  you  are  approaching,  the  Boers  get 
mad  and  order  all  TJitlanders  away.  However,  even  then  I 
fancy  that  the  usual  bribe  will  avail  to  purchase  me  an 
exemption,  but  if  I  do  have  to  go  I  shall  come  back  again 
directly  you  capture  the  place." 

A  basket  containing  wine,  a  ham,  and  a  variety  of  eat- 
ables had  been  placed  under  the  seat. 

"  What  shall  I  do  with  the  trap  and  horse,  sir?  " 

"  You  can  either  sell  the  trap  for  what  it  will  fetch  and 
keep  the  horse,  or,  in  fact,  do  as  you  like  with  it!  Good- 
bye! and  take  care  of  yourself.  Which  he  won't  do,"  Mr. 


DOWN  COUNTRY  275 

Chambers  added  as,  with  a  wave  of  the  hand,  Yorke  drove 
off. 

With  two  good  horses  and  a  light  load,  they  drove  rapidly 
along.  Mr.  Chambers  had  before  he  started  asked  Yorke 
whether  he  had  ample  funds  for  the  journey,  and  the  latter 
was  glad  to  be  able  to  say  that  Hans  had,  before  leaving  the 
camp,  drawn  sufficient  from  the  paymaster  for  anything  that 
could  be  required. 

"  Whatever  you  do,  Hans,  keep  your  hat  on.  There  is 
no  fear  of  anyone  who  saw  you  in  the  prison  recognizing 
you  as  you  are;  but  if  your  hat  should  blow  off,  and  any- 
one happened  to  be  looking  on  at  the  time,  the  game  would 
be  up." 

"  I  don't  think  it  could  blow  off,  master.  The  hair  and 
the  glue  under  the  lining  have  made  it  so  much  smaller  that 
I  had  to  press  it  quite  hard  to  get  it  on  my  head." 

"  Well,  when  we  are  once  clear  away  from  the  town,  you 
can  lift  it  a  bit,  for  if  it  blows  off  then  it  will  not  matter. 

"  It  is  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  Bloemf ontein.  I 
suppose  it  will  take  us  about  a  week.  We  shall  see  how  the 
horses  stand  it,  they  both  start  fresh.  I  was  looking  at  the 
map  this  morning,  and  it  is  evident  that  there  is  no  good 
road  by  the  direct  line,  I  mean  the  route  followed  by  the 
railway.  So  I  am  taking  the  main  road  that  goes  down 
through  Potchefstroom.  There  is  no  place  of  any  size  before 
that.  It  is  about  sixty  miles.  We  will  camp  out  to-night  ten 
miles  before  we  get  there.  Then  we  can  drive  through  the 
town  without  stopping,  and  get  on  as  far  as  Reitzburg.  We 
can  settle  to-morrow  whether  we  will  put  up  at  the  town, 
or  camp  just  across  the  Vaal,  about  a  mile  this  side  of  the 
place.  From  there  it  is  a  little  over  forty  miles  to  Kroon- 
stad. 

"  I  think  when  we  get  as  far  as  that,  we  shall  be  beyond 
the  farthest  points  where  there  will  be  danger.  They  will 
be  looking  for  us  chiefly  on  the  road  to  Mafeking,  which  is, 
of  course,  the  nearest  point  to  the  border;  or  else  on  that 


276  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

leading  through  Komati  Poort,  down  to  Delagoa  Bay;  and 
they  will  also,  no  doubt,  search  every  train  going  south.  In 
any  case,  they  can  have  no  idea  that  we  are  travelling  by 
road  at  this  pace,  and  if  we  were  on  foot  we  could  not 
arrive  at  Kroonstad  within  two  or  three  days  of  the  time 
we  shall  get  there.  Besides,  we  have  got  the  police  pass; 
and  certainly  the  description  telegraphed  on  will  in  no  way 
tally  with  our  present  appearance.  So  I  do  not  think  we 
shall  be  troubled,  though  it  is  as  well  to  take  every  pre- 
caution." 

They  experienced,  indeed,  no  difficulties  whatever,  and 
camped  that  night  by  a  dam  half  a  mile  off  the  road,  five 
miles  out  of  Potchefstroom.  As  they  had  several  water- 
bottles  hung  under  the  cart,  and  a  bag  of  mealies,  the  horses 
fared  as  well  as  their  masters.  One  of  the  first  questions 
that  Hans  had  asked  after  they  started  was,  whether  Mr. 
Chambers  had  actually  promised  him  five  hundred  pounds. 

"  It  seems  impossible,"  he  said,  "  but  that  is  what  I 
understood  him  to  say." 

"  That  is  what  he  intends  to  give  you,  Hans." 

"  But  it  is  too  much ;  only  for  sitting  and  listening  for 
half  an  hour,  and  firing  five  shots  with  a  rifle." 

"  That  is  all  that  it  was  to  you,  Hans,  but  to  him  it  meant 
saving  his  life,  and  the  lives  of  the  ladies  of  his  family.  As 
to  the  gold,  he  told  me  how  it  was  concealed,  and  that  the 
robbers  could  never  have  got  at  it.  Still,  he  values  his  life 
and  those  of  the  ladies  at  a  large  sum;  and  as  he  is  a  very 
rich  man,  he  does  not  think  it  out  of  the  way  to  make  you 
a  handsome  present.  I  told  him  that  I  should  advise  you 
to  carry  out  what  we  were  saying  the  other  day  would  be 
the  best-paying  thing  for  a  man  of  small  capital — to  buy 
a  piece  of  land  near  Johannesburg  or  Kimberley,  to  sink  a 
deep  well,  and  to  put  up  horse-gear  and  irrigate  the  land; 
and  to  employ  half  a  dozen  Kaffirs  to  grow  vegetables  and 
plant  fruit-trees,  just  as  my  cousin  did.  Only,  you  would 


DOWN  COUNTRY  277 

do  a  great  deal  better  than  Mr.  Allnutt,  because  the  Boer 
farmers  would  not  pay  much  for  their  vegetables  or  fruit, 
while  you  would  get  splendid  prices  in  either  of  these  towns. 
The  vegetables  would  begin  to  pay  three  months  after  you 
started,  but  of  course  you  would  have  to  wait  a  couple  of 
years  before  you  got  any  return  for  the  fruit-trees." 

Hans  was  silent  for  three  or  four  minutes,  lost  in  the  con- 
templation of  himself  as  the  owner  of  such  a  place. 

"  We  shall  have  plenty  of  time  to  talk  it  over  before  then, 
Hans,"  Yorke  went  on,  after  a  long  pause,  "but  I  should 
advise  you  not  to  spend  any  money  on  building  a  house  for 
yourself  at  first — any  sort  of  a  hut  will  do;  and  though  five 
hundred  pounds  seems  a  very  large  sum  to  you,  you  will 
want  it  all  for  your  work;  the  well  and  horse-gear  will  cost 
a  good  bit.  Then  you  will  have  your  water-courses  to  make, 
and  your  ground  to  irrigate,  say  five  acres  to  begin  with; 
and  it  is  always  a  good  plan  to  keep  some  money  in  hand 
in  case  of  accidents,  such  as  your  well  failing  and  your 
having  to  go  deeper,  or  of  your  Kaffirs  running  away.  Be- 
sides, you  must  have  a  horse  and  cart  to  take  your  goods  to 
market.  At  any  rate,  Hans,  if  you  want  to  get  on  you  will 
have  to  bestir  yourself.  You  know  that  young  English  gen- 
tlemen who  come  out  don't  think  themselves  above  taking 
off  their  coats  and  working,  and  at  first  you  will  have  to  do 
the  same.  After  a  bit  you  will,  as  you  extend  your  culti- 
vated ground  and  carry  the  work  further,  take  on  more 
Kaffirs,  and  you  will  have  to  see  that  they  do  their  work. 
That  was  how  Mr.  Allnutt  did,  and  it  is  only  in  that  way 
that  you  will  get  work  out  of  them." 

"It  will  be  grand,"  Hans  murmured;  "but,"  he  broke  off 
Suddenly,  "you  will  not  be  with  me,  Master  Yorke,  and  I 
had  hoped  that,  whatever  you  were  doing,  you  would  always 
keep  me  with  you." 

"  So  I  should  like  to  do,  Hans,  but  it  would  not  be  good 
for  you;  it  is  always  better  that  a  man  should  depend  upon 


278  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA. 

himself,  and  not  upon  another.  Some  day  you  will  want 
to  marry,  and  then  you  will  see  how  much  better  it  is  to 
have  a  nice  home  and  a  business  than  to  be  merely  working 
for  wages.  It  was  just  the  same  way  with  myself.  I  did 
not  like  leaving  my  father  and  mother,  and  going  to  start 
in  a  strange  country.  But  I  hoped  that  I  might  some  day 
make  a  home  for  myself  here,  and  do  well;  whereas,  I  had 
no  chance  of  earning  much  in  England." 

"  Well,  Master  Yorke,  it  was  a  lucky  day  for  me  when 
you  came  to  Mr.  Allnutt's,  and  took  me  to  go  out  riding 
and  shooting  with  you." 

"It  has  turned  out  quite  as  fortunate  for  me,  Hans." 

Peter,  who  was  not  given  to  speaking  unless  addressed, 
said  but  little.  Occasionally,  as  he  looked  at  Yorke  and 
Hans,  he  shook  with  silent  laughter  at  their  changed  ap- 
pearance, and  indeed  the  transformation  effected  by  their 
long  hair  was  striking  to  one  accustomed  to  their  closely- 
cropped  heads.  By  the  way,  however,  he  went  about  his 
work — taking  the  horses  out  of  the  cart,  supplying  them  with 
their  water  and  grain,  and  rubbing  them  down — it  was  evi- 
dent that  he  already,  in  imagination,  considered  himself  to 
be  a  far  more  important  person  than  he  was  before,  and 
that  he  was  preparing  himself  for  the  change  from  the 
humble  position  of  a  casual  labourer  in  some  small  town  to 
that  of  a  man  of  position  and  influence  among  his  tribe. 
Occasionally  he  would  break  into  bursts  of  apparently  unpro- 
voked laughter,  as  if  the  change  appeared  to  himself  ludi- 
crous in  the  extreme. 

They  were  on  the  move  at  the  first  sign  of  daylight,  and 
Potchefstroom  was  still  asleep  when  they  drove  through. 
At  eight  o'clock  they  crossed  the  Vaal  and  drove  into  Reitz- 
burg,,  A  couple  of  Boers  came  up  and  asked  them  where 
they  came  from,  but  were  quite  satisfied  with  the  answer, 
"  From  Potchefstroom,"  as  they  considered  that  if  they 
had  been  allowed  to  pass  through  there,  their  journey  must 
be  a  legitimate  one. 


ONE  OF  THE  BOERS  THEY  HAD  SPOKEN  TO  SAUNTERED  IN. 


DOWN  COUNTBY  279 

"  We  have  a  pass  from  the  chief  of  the  police  at  Johannes- 
burg, if  you  would  like  to  see  it." 

"  No,"  one  of  the  men  replied.  "  If  it  is  good  enough  for 
them  in  the  Transvaal,  it  is  good  enough  for  us.  I  suppose 
you  are  going  down  to  the  army  ? " 

"Yes,  we  want  to  do  our  share  of  the  fighting." 

"  Quite  right.  You  must  lose  no  time  or  you  will  be  too 
late." 

"  So  I  suppose,  by  all  they  say,"  Yorke  replied. 

They  thought  it  as  well  to  wait  for  an  hour  to  feed  the 
horses  and  take  a  meal.  Leaving  Peter  to  look  after  the 
horses,  and  -see  that  nobody  touched  the  guns  and  other 
articles  in  the  cart,  they  went  into  a  small  inn.  While 
they  were  eating  their  meal  one  of  the  Boers  they  had  spoken 
to  sauntered  in. 

"  Was  there  any  news  at  Johannesburg  ? " 

"No,  not  particular.    Things  are  very  quiet  there." 

"You  did  not  hear,  did  you,  of  any  escaped  prisoners 
being  caught  ? " 

"We  did  hear  that  one  of  the  English  officers  had  got 
away  from  the  jail." 

"Yes,  that  is  what  I  mean.  They  telegraphed  to  us  here 
from  Pretoria;  but  of  course  he  would  never  come  down 
this  way.  Still,  we  had  to  obey  orders  and  keep  a  sharp 
look-out.  If  he  had  come  this  way  he  would  have  been 
caught.  I  expect,  however,  he  went  east;  but  he  could  not 
get  far.  They  say  he  was  quite  a  young  chap,  with  close- 
cropped  hair." 

"  Well,  their  young  officers  cannot  have  learned  to  talk 
Dutch,  so  there  ought  to  be  no  difficulty  in  catching  him," 
Yorke  said. 

"  But  he  has  got  a  Dutchman  with  him,  and  I  suppose 
he  himself  won't  open  his  lips,  but  the  Dutchman  will  do 
his  talking  for  him." 

"Hans,  you  had  better  say  something,"  Yorke  laughed, 
"  or  possibly  you  may  be  taken  for  this  British  officer." 


280  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA. 

"I  don't  look  much  like  a  British  officer  with  a  cropped 
head,"  Hans  said,  "  and  I  talk  my  own  language  better  than 
I  do  English  by  a  long  way." 

"  Oh !  I  knew  you  could  not  be  the  man,"  the  Boer  said. 
"  Still,  I  am  glad  to  see  that  you  are  Dutch  as  well  as  your 
master.  There  might  be  questions  asked,  and  now  I  can 
swear  that  you  are  both  Africanders.  It  will  satisfy  anyone 
questioning  me  as  to  who  has  been  along.  I  don't  see  myself 
what  occasion  there  is  for  making  a  fuss  about  one  officer 
getting  away  when  we  shall  soon  have  all  their  army  pris- 
oners. It  gives  everyone  a  lot  of  trouble." 

"Will  you  have  a  glass  of  spirits?"  Yorke  asked. 

As  it  was  with  the  hope  of  obtaining  an  invitation  that 
the  Boer  had  come  in,  he  assented  willingly,  and  remained 
talking  until  Yorke  said  it  was  time  for  them  to  be  going 
on.  They  slept  that  night  at  Winkel  Drift,  on  the  Khen- 
oster  River,  and  drove  next  day  to  Kroonstad.  Here  no  ques- 
tions were  asked.  They  put  up  at  an  inn,  and  Yorke  men- 
tioned casually  that  they  were  intending  to  stay  with  a 
friend  for  a  day  of  two  at  Bloemfontein,  and  then  going 
to  the  front.  They  had  avoided  entering  the  town  until  it 
was  dusk;  and  as  many  Boers  were  constantly  passing  down 
to  join  the  commandos,  no  one  thought  of  enquiring  minutely 
into  their  affairs.  Three  more  days  took  them  to  Bloemfon- 
tein. There  Yorke  noticed,  as  they  drove  in,  that  many 
stores  with  British  names  over  them  were  still  open,  for  the 
wholesale  expulsion  of  English  from  the  Transvaal  had  not 
extended  to  the  Orange  Free  State,  where,  till  the  outbreak 
of  the  war,  a  good  feeling  had  existed  between  the  two 
peoples.  At  Bloemfontein  especially  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  trading  class  had  been  British,  and  these,  considering 
that  if  they  left,  their  stores  would  probably  be  looted, 
thought  it  better  to  remain,  and,  although  their  position 
was  not  a  pleasant  one,  they  had  received  fair  treatment  at 
the  hands  of  the  Boers. 


AJH  OLD  ENEMX  281 

CHAPTEK  XVI 

AN   OLD  ENEMY 

AEEIYING  at  Bloemfontein  in  the  evening,  they  first 
went  to  an  hotel,  and  having  engaged  rooms,  and 
seen  their  horses  put  up,  Yorke  proceeded  to  the  house  of 
the  Dutch  gentleman  to  whom  the  letters  Mr.  Chambers  had 
given  him  were  addressed.  On  sending  one  in  he  was  shown 
into  the  sitting-room,  where  Mr.  von  Rensburg  presently 
joined  him. 

"  You  are  the  bearer  of  this  letter,  Mr.  Meyring,  from  my 
friend,  Mr.  Chambers?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  of  this  also,  which  I  did  not  care  to  give 
into  any  hands  but  your  own." 

Mr.  von  Eensburg  took  it  a  little  surprised.  The  first 
had  been  so  simple  and  matter-of-fact  that  he  had  not 
suspected  for  a  moment  that  Yorke  was  not,  as  it  stated, 
an  employe  at  the  mine.  He  looked  scrutinizingly  at  Yorke 
when  he  had  read  the  second  letter. 

"I  will  not  ask  who  you  are,  Mr.  Meyring,  or  whether 
that  is  your  real  name.  It  is  just  as  well  not  to  know  more 
than  I  can  help.  I  understand  you  want  to  cross  into  Cape 
Colony,  and  may  be  glad  of  my  advice  as  to  the  best  road 
to  take.  In  the  first  place,  may  I  ask  how  you  came  here 
—by  rail?" 

"No,  sir,  we  drove.  I  have  a  friend  with  me,  and  it  is 
open  to  us  either  to  drive  from  this  point,  or,  as  we  have 
two  horses,  to  ride,  or  to  go  on  foot,  though  naturally  we 
would  rather  not  adopt  the  last  plan  if  it  could  be  helped." 

"  That  I  can  well  understand,"  the  other  said  with  a 
smile ;  "  and  indeed  it  would  be  the  worst  method ;  it  would 
be  far  more  natural  for  you  to  be  driving  or  riding  than 
going  on  foot.  Now,  tell  me  exactly  how  you  stand.  You, 


282  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA. 

I  see,  are  dressed  as  a  young  farmer  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances.   How  about  your  friend?" 

"He  is  dressed  as  a  farm-hand,  sir;  and  I  have  also  a 
Kaffir  with  me  to  look  after  the  horses." 

"  Is  your  companion  Dutch  ? " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  You  are  not,  I  think.  You  speak  Taal  very  well,  but 
I  fancy  I  can  detect  that  it  is  not  your  own  language." 

"  That  is  so,"  Yorke  agreed ;  "  but  I  am  glad  to  say  that 
you  are  the  first  person  who  has  noticed  it." 

"I  am  not  surprised  at  that,  for  you  really  speak  it  very 
well;  it  is  more  the  tone  of  your  voice  than  anything  wrong 
in  the  language — or  I  may  call  it  the  dialect — that  is  notice- 
able." 

"  I  have  learned  it  partly  from  books,  sir,  but  chiefly  from 
conversing  in  it  almost  entirely  for  six  months." 

"You  must  have  the  knack  of  learning  languages  if  you 
have  picked  it  up  so  well  in  so  short  a  time.  You  have 
only  arrived  here  to-day,  I  suppose?" 

"Yes,  sir,  half  an  hour  ago." 

"  From  Johannesburg  ? " 

Yorke  made  a  gesture  of  assent. 

"  You  were,  I  suppose,  intimate  with  Mr.  Chambers  ? " 

"  I  can  scarcely  say  that  I  was  intimate  with  him,  but 
my  man — for  he  is  my  servant  as  well  as  my  friend — hap- 
pened to  overhear  a  plot  to  murder  Mr.  Chambers  and  loot 
his  house,  and  he,  with  my  Kaffir,  Mr.  Chambers  and  myself, 
gave  the  ruffians  so  warm  a  reception  that  there  is  not  likely 
to  be  a  repetition  of  the  attempt." 

"  Were  they  a  strong  party  ?  " 

"  There  were  twelve  of  them,  and  only  two  got  away  alh 
The  really  dangerous  part  of  the  affair  was  that  the 
men  in  the  house  were  also  in  the  plot;  but  we  had  tied 
up  before  the  others  arrived." 

"  That  was  a  very  thorough  piece  of  business  indeed," 
Q&r.  von  Kensburg  said^  more  warmly  than  he  had 


AH  OLD  ENEMY  283 

before;  "and  I  can  well  understand  now  that  my  friend 
Chambers  should  be  anxious  to  aid  you  in  any  way.  Will 
you  tell  me  a  little  more  about  it?  You  are  not,  I  suppose, 
pressed  for  time." 

"  Not  at  all,  sir ; "  and  Yorke  related  more  fully  the  inci- 
dents connected  with  the  affair. 

"It  was  a  fortunate  escape  for  Mr.  Chambers.  No  doubt 
those  scoundrels  thought  that  he  had  money  in  the  house. 
They  would  hardly  have  gone  in  such  numbers  if  it  had  only 
been  a  question  of  ordinary  robbery.  And  was  your  employ- 
ment at  the  mine  confined  to  this  exploit?" 

"  Entirely,  sir ;  but  as  the  house  stands  on  the  mine  prop- 
erty, Mr.  Chambers  said  when  he  wrote  the  letter  that  he 
could  say  with  a  good  conscience  that  I  had  been  employed 
there." 

"I  have  one  question  to  ask:  Are  you  personally  known 
to  anyone  here?  I  mean,  is  there  anyone  whom  you  would 
be  likely  to  meet  who  would  recognize  you  ? " 

"  No,  sir,  I  don't  think  there  is  anyone  here  likely  to  have 
seen  me  before.  And  if  there  should  be  anyone,  I  am  sure 
he  would  not  know  me  in  my  present  disguise." 

"I  asked  the  question,"  Mr.  von  Eensburg  went  on,  "as 
in  that  case  there  is  no  occasion  for  me  to  make  any  instant 
decision  as  to  the  route  you  had  better  take.  If  there  had 
been  any  danger  of  your  being  recognized  I  should  say  you 
bad  better  start  to-morrow  morning  early,  but  as  it  is,  we 
can  take  our  time  about  it." 

"  I  am  in  no  very  pressing  hurry,  though  I  should  be  glad 
to  be  on  the  other  side  of  the  Orange  Kiver  as  soon  as  I  can. 
I  have  already  been  away  nearly  seven  weeks." 

"I  can  guess  pretty  well  who  you  are,  Mr.  Meyring,"  the 
other  said  with  a  smile,  "though  I  don't  want  to  know.  I 
should  certainly  be  glad  if  you  would  take  up  your  residence 
here  while  you  remain,  but  I  think  it  is  better  that  you  should 
not.  I  am  not  very  popular  here  at  present,  because  I  op- 
posed the  Free  State  taking  part  with  the  Transvaal.  I 


284  WITH  BOBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

can  call  upon  you  at  your  hotel  very  well;  because  then, 
should  there  be  any  question,  I  can  simply  show  the  letter 
you  first  sent  me  in,  and  say  that  I  know  nothing  more  than 
that.  I  don't  think  it  at  all  likely  that  any  question  will 
arise,  and  my  coming  to  see  you  will  be  an  advantage  to 
you  rather  than  otherwise,  for  it  will  show  that  you  are 
not  altogether  an  unknown  person.  I  will  this  evening 
think  over  what  people  I  know  on  the  different  roads,  where 
parties  of  our  men  are  stationed,  and  how  you  had  best  pro- 
ceed." 

"  Thank  you  very  much,  sir.  At  what  hour  are  you 
likely  to  call  ? " 

"  We  will  say  ten  o'clock.  I  will  bring  a  good  map  I  have 
with  me — or,  no,  I  had  better  merely  call  and  ask  for  you, 
and  then  bring  you  here.  It  would  look  strange  if  you  were 
to  ask  for  a  private  room,  and  we  certainly  cannot  talk  that 
over  in  the  public  room.  They  will  not  know  that  you  have 
been  here  to-night,  and  you  had  better  send  your  man  with 
this  letter  again  in  the  morning.  Tell  him  before  the  land- 
lord, or  anyone  else,  that  he  is  to  take  the  letter  to  me,  and 
say  that  you  have  arrived,  and  will  call  upon  me  at  any  hour 
that  is  convenient  in  reference  to  the  business." 

This  programme  was  carried  out,  and  at  ten  o'clock  Yorke 
was  standing  at  the  door  of  the  hotel  when  Mr.  von  Rens- 
burg  came  up.  He  went  into  the  hotel  without  noticing 
Yorke,  and  said  to  the  landlord:  "You  have  a  Mr.  Meyring 
staying  here,  have  you  not  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  he  was  outside  just  now."  He  went  to  the  door. 
"  There  he  is,  sir,"  he  said,  pointing  to  Yorke. 

Mr.  von  Rensburg  went  up  to  him.  "  My  name  is  von 
Rensburg,  Mr.  Meyring.  I  did  not  know  when  I  should  be 
disengaged,  so  did  not  send  an  answer  to  the  letter  you 
brought,  but  I  am  free  now,  and  if  you  will  come  with  me 
to  my  house,  we  will  talk  over  the  business  you  mentioned, 
and  see  which  commando  you  had  better  join." 

"  Thank  you,  sir  I  I  am  naturally  anxious  to  lose  no  time. 


AN  OLD  ENE1IT  285 

I  should  certainly  prefer  joining  the  force  which  is  likely  to 
be  engaged  soonest."  The  innkeeper  and  two  other  men 
lounging  near  heard  what  he  said,  and  paid  no  further  atten- 
tion to  them  as  they  walked  off. 

Once  in  Mr.  von  Rensburg's  parlour  the  latter  said :  "  It 
will  not  be  an  easy  matter  to  get  through.  The  drifts  are 
all  guarded,  both  on  the  Orange  River  and  the  Riet.  Of 
course  the  nearest  way  is  through  Petrusburg  and  Jacobs- 
dal,  but  I  put  that  out  of  the  question.  Then  there  is  the 
road  through  Fauresmith  and  across  the  Orange  at  Zout- 
pans  Drift,  but  that  also  is  a  long  way  round.  I  believe  that 
as  good  a  way  as  any  would  be  to  take  the  Boshof  road 
across  the  Modder  at  Truters  Drift.  From  there  a  road 
keeps  along  for  three  miles  north  of  the  Modder,  and  leads 
finally  to  Kimberley;  it  cuts  the  road  from  Boshof  to  Jacobs- 
dal.  But  at  that  point  there  are  strong  forces  to  prevent 
the  British  from  trying  to  make  a  detour  that  way.  These 
are  the  names  of  the  various  commandos  there,  and  at 
Jacobsdal,  and  at  the  drifts  across  the  Orange. 

"  The  safest  way,  though  longer  in  miles,  would  be  to  go 
south  to  Bethulie,  as  if  you  were  going  to  join  the  com- 
mando at  Steynsburg,  or  better  still,  Colesberg.  Once  past 
Colesberg  you  would  find  no  difficulty  in  making  your  way 
to  De  Aar.  I  could  help  you  more  that  way  than  any 
other,  because  I  could  get  a  pass  for  you,  and  your  horses, 
your  servant,  and  the  Kaffir,  direct  by  rail  to  Colesberg; 
so  that  really  you  would  not  lose  so  much  time  as  you  might 
think,  for  from  Colesberg  to  De  Aar  is  not  much  more  than 
half  the  distance  that  it  is  from  here  to  Jacobsdal.  The 
Philippolis  commando  is  there." 

"I  know  the  country  on  the  other  side  of  the  Seacow 
R'iver,"  Yorke  said,  "  and  once  past  Colesberg  could  make 
my  way  easily  enough.  I  would  much  rather  choose  that 
line.  Once  at  De  Aar  I  should  not  have  much  more  than 
a  hundred  miles  to  ride  to  the  Modder,  even  if  I  could  not 
get  up  by  train." 


286  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"  Then  I  will  see  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  railway 
arrangements,  and  find  out  when  a  train  is  going  down  to 
Colesberg  with  ammunition  and  supplies,  and  if  he  is  not 
taking  any  horses  down,  will  get  him  to  put  on  a  truck  for 
your  animals.  What  do  you  mean  to  do  with  your  cart  ? " 

"Mr.  Chambers  said  I  could  do  anything  I  liked  with  it. 
It  would  only  be  in  my  way  now,  for  the  tracks  beyond 
Colesberg  west  are  as  much  as  horses  can  manage.  Besides, 
I  should  find  it  more  difficult  to  get  away  from  the  town  in 
a  vehicle  than  on  horseback." 

"  Well,  if  I  were  you  I  would  speak  to  the  innkeeper ;  he 
would  be  likely  to  know  someone  who  would  want  to  buy  it. 
If  not,  you  had  better  leave  it  with  him,  and  tell  him  that 
you  are  so  anxious  to  get  to  the  front  that  you  do  not  care 
about  wasting  time  here  looking  about  for  a  purchaser;  and 
ask  him  to  sell  it  for  you,  and  to  keep  the  money  until  you 
return  for  it.  You  must  appear  careful  about  it,  for  no 
Dutch  farmer,  however  well  off,  would  throw  away  the 
value  of  a  good  cart.  You  had  therefore  better  ask  him  to 
write  to  you  at  the  post-office,  Colesberg,  telling  you  what 
sum  he  has  sold  it  for." 

"As  he  knows  that  I  have  come  here,  sir,  I  might  ask 
him  to  hand  the  money  over  to  you,  as  you  have  kindly 
offered  to  remit  it  to  me." 

"Yes,  it  would  be  as  well  to  seem  as  anxious  as  possible. 
When  I  come  round  this  afternoon  to  tell  you  the  result  of 
my  enquiries  about  the  trains,  I  will  look  at  the  cart." 

"  It  is  a  very  good  one,  sir,  of  Cape  Colony  make,  and  it 
only  wants  repainting  to  appear  quite  new." 

"  In  that  case  I  will  tell  the  innkeeper  that  if  he  does  not 
know  of  anyone  who  will  buy  it  at  once,  I  will  give  you  the 
sum  he  and  I  may  value  it  at,  and  if  at  the  end  of  a  week 
he  doesn't  find  a  purchaser  at  that  price,  I  will  take  it 
myself.  A  cart  more  or  less  makes  but  little  difference,  and 
you  may  as  well  have  the  money  as  let  the  innkeeper  put 
it  in  his  pocket." 


AN  OLD  ENEMY  287 

"But  the  money  ought  to  go  back  to  Mr.  Chambers,  sir." 

"It  will  be  much  more  useful  in  your  pocket  than  in  his. 
He  gave  you  the  thing1  to  do  as  you  liked  with,  and  cer- 
tainly will  not  expect  to  be  paid  for  it,  and  would  be  hurt 
rather  than  pleased  at  the  money  being  sent  to  him.  No 
doubt  you  will  find  uses  for  it." 

The  innkeeper,  however,  knew  of  a  trader  in  the  town  who 
wanted  a  good  cart,  and  the  matter  was  arranged  in  a  few 
minutes.  There  was  a  train  going  that  evening,  and  with 
an  order  signed  by  the  military  secretary  at  Bloemfontein 
for  Gert  Meyring  and  Hans  Bernard,  both  going  to  join  the 
Philippolis  commando  at  Colesberg,  accompanied  by  a  Kaffir 
boy,  to  travel  by  military  train,  they  started  that  evening. 
It  was  an  open  truck,  but  as  they  had  brought  blankets  and 
horse-rugs  in  the  cart,  for  sleeping  on  the  veldt,  they  pre- 
ferred the  night  journey  to  being  exposed  to  the  scorching 
rays  of  the  sun  all  day.  It  took  some  fifteen  hours  to  cover 
the  distance  between  Bloemfontein  and  Colesberg.  After 
getting  the  horses  out  of  the  truck,  they  saddled  them,  slung 
their  rifles  and  bandoliers  over  their  shoulders,  strapped  the 
blankets  behind  the  saddles,  and  then  rode  into  the  town, 
which  was  little  more  than  a  long  single  street  extending 
along  the  bottom  of  a  very  narrow  valley. 

Peter  had  been  most  reluctant  to  leave  his  rifle  behind 
him  at  Bloemfontein,  and  had  been  allowed  to  bring  it,  say- 
ing that  if  he  were  questioned  he  could  say  that  it  was  a 
spare  rifle  belonging  to  Yorke.  As  it  was  notorious  that  in 
the  battles  of  Graspan  and  Belmont  many  of  the  richer  Boers 
had  been  attended  by  servants,  who  loaded  spare  rifles,  and 
so  enabled  them  to  keep  up  a  steady  fire,  Yorke  had  con- 
sented, as  at  the  worst  it  could  but  be  taken  away  for  the 
use  of  some  Boer  with  an  inferior  weapon,  and  he  felt  that 
the  time  might  come  when  it  would  be  well  that  Peter  should 
be  able  to  give  efficient  aid.  A  good  many  armed  men  were 
in  the  street,  but  they  paid  no  attention  to  the  new-comers. 
Yorke  avoided  the  principal  inn,  where  the  field  cornet  of 


288  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

the  commando  would  probably  have  taken  up  his  quarters, 
and  alighted  at  another  of  less  pretension. 

"  Have  you  a  room  disengaged  ? "  he  asked  the  landlord  on 
entering. 

The  landlord  looked  doubtful. 

"  I  don't  want  to  commandeer  a  room,"  Yorke  went  on ; 
"  I  pay  for  what  I  have." 

The  landlord's  face  brightened.  "Yes,  I  have  a  double- 
bedded  room  vacant." 

"  That  will  do,  though  I  should  have  liked  two  single  ones. 
My  native  boy  will  of  course  sleep  in  the  stable  with.,  the 
h'orses.  If  you  will  show  me  my  room  he  will  carry  up  my 
spare  rifle  and  blankets  there.  We  shall  want  a  meal  at  once, 
for  we  have  but  just  arrived  by  train  from  Bloemfontein." 

The  meal  was  a  good  one,  and  after  it  was  eaten  Yorke 
went  to  the  bar;  the  landlord  was  standing  behind  it.  "I 
will  pay  for  our  meals  as  we  have  them,"  Yorke  said,  "  and 
for  the  room  for  to-night.  I  don't  know  when  I  may  be  off, 
and  I  may  be  sent  suddenly  away,  so  that  it  is  as  well  to 
keep  things  squared  up.  So  please  add  the  charge  for  the 
stable  and  food  for  the  horses." 

The  landlord  made  out  the  bill,  and  when  he  had  paid 
it  Yorke  said,  "I  should  like  to  have  a  talk  with  you.  It 
is  difficult  to  get  news  at  Bloemfontein  as  to  what  is  going 
on  down  here,  and  as  I  have  only  just  arrived,  I  am  alto- 
gether ignorant  as  to  the  situation." 

"  If  you  will  come  into  my  parlour  behind  the  bar  I  will 
tell  you  what  I  know." 

"  I  dare  say  you  have  some  good  cigars  ? "  Yorke  asked 
when  they  were  seated. 

"  Yes,  but  I  don't  sell  many  of  them  at  present." 

He  took  a  box  out  of  a  cupboard,  where  it  was  hidden 
tinder  some  corks  and  dusters.  Yorke  took  out  two,  handed 
one  to  the  landlord  and  lighted  the  other  himself. 

"  You  are  English,  I  see." 


AN  OLD  ENEMY  289 

"Yes,  we  are  mostly  English  here — worse  luck  just  at 
present." 

"  I  am  English  too,"  Yorke  said,  speaking  for  the  first 
time  in  his  own  language. 

The  landlord  looked  at  him  in  astonishment.  "I  should 
never  have  thought  it,"  he  said.  "  You  speak  Dutch  ever  so 
much  better  than  I  do,  and  you  look  like  a  Boer  all  over." 

"Yes,  I  am  disguised.  I  have  made  my  way  down  from 
Johannesburg,  and  I  want  to  get  through  the  Boer  lines. 
That  is  what  I  want  to  talk  to  you  about.  Where  are  they 
now?  First,  tell  me  what  has  been  done  here." 

"  Well,  on  the  1st  of  November  the  Boers  came  in  here, 
and  had  their  own  way  for  two  months.  Then  on  the  1st 
of  January  General  Erench  came  up  and  surrounded  the 
place,  and  there  was  fighting  in  the  hills  for  two  or  three 
days;  but  the  Boers  captured  a  company  of  the  Suffolks 
who  attacked  a  hill  outside  the  town,  and  they  were  after- 
wards reinforced  so  strongly  that,  after  repulsing  one  at- 
tack, French  retired,  and  things  have  been  quiet  since.  The 
English  hold  Molteno.  A  good  many  men  have  gone  down 
that  way." 

"  Do  you  know  what  commandos  are  here  now  ? " 

"  They  are  principally  Colonial  rebels,  some  from  the  west 
and  some  from  the  south." 

'You  have  the  Philippolis  commando  here,  have  you 
not?" 

"We  had  till  yesterday,  and  then  they  were  summoned 
to  go  to  Steynsburg,  for  they  say  that  one  of  our  columns 
is  advancing  against  Dordrecht." 

"  That  is  lucky,  for  my  railway  pass  says  that  I  am  going 
to  join  that  commando.  Now  that  I  find  they  are  gone  I 
cannot  report  myself,  and  therefore  escape  questioning.  How 
many  Boers  are  there  in  and  around  here?" 

"  From  a  thousand  to  twelve  hundred," 

"How  have  they  been  behaving?" 

(M839)  T 


290  WITH  KOBEBTS  TO  PEETOEIA 

The  landlord  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  They  take  pretty 
well  what  they  want,  and  give  hits  of  paper  which  they  say 
will  be  paid  when  the  war  is  over;  they  mean,  out  of  the 
money  they  expect  to  get  from  our  government  as  an  in- 
demnity. Of  course  we  don't  look  at  it  in  that  light,  and 
only  keep  them  in  the  hope  that  they  will  be  a  proof  of 
the  losses  that  we  have  suffered,  and  that  our  government 
will  take  them  up  when  they  finally  thrash  the  Boers." 

"  And  where  are  these  twelve  hundred  men  ? " 

"  There  are  three  or  four  hundred  of  them  on  the  hills 
round  the  town.  They  have  got  some  guns  there,  to  keep 
us  in  order,  as  they  say.  Most  of  the  others  are  wandering 
about  in  bands,  and  plundering1  the  farms  of  the  loyal  settlers. 
I  fancy  they  have  some  small  parties  out  towards  the  west, 
keeping  a  sharp  look-out  lest  a  force  should  come  this  way 
from  De  Aar;  but  I  think  they  trust  chiefly  to  their  getting 
news  from  the  Dutch  farmers  between  Hanover  and  the 
railway  there." 

"  Then  my  best  way,  undoubtedly,  would  be  to  cross  the 
Seacow  Kiver  either  by  the  road  leading  north-west  to 
Hopetown,  or  from  that  to  Philipstown,  or  by  the  third 
road  to  Hanover.  The  north  road  is  least  likely  to  be 
watched,  as  any  force  from  De  Aar  would  certainly  come 
either  through  Philipstown  or  through  Hanover." 

"You  seem  to  know  the  country  well,"  the  landlord  said 
in  surprise. 

"I  do  not  know  it  on  this  side  of  the  river;  I  know  it 
pretty  well  on  the  other;  and  once  across,  I  have  little  fear 
of  being  captured.  Who  is  the  field  cornet  in  command?" 

"  Moens ;  he  is  in  command  of  the  party  on  the  hills,  and, 
I  believe,  generally  of  them  all." 

"It  is  as  well  to  know,  though  I  don't  want  to  see  him; 
but  when  I  once  get  outside  the  circle  of  hills  I  can  tell  any 
Boers  that  I  may  fall  in  with  that  I  am  ordered  by  him  to 
watch  the  banks  of  the  river." 

"  How  long  do  you  mean  to  stay  ? "  the  landlord  asked. 


AN  OLD  ENEMY  291 

"  It  is  two  o'clock  now,"  Yorke  said ;  "  I  would  rather  not 
go  till  to-morrow.  I  should  like  to  see  a  little  of  the  country, 
and  the  horses  have  only  had  a  day's  rest  after  eight  days' 
hard  travelling,  so  I  will  go  out  into  the  town  and  see  where 
the  road  I  intend  to  go  by  leaves  it.  I  shall  want  to  buy 
some  things  for  the  journey,  for  I  cannot  reckon  upon 
getting  to  De  Aar  in  much  less  than  three  days." 

"  I  will  get  you  anything  you  want,"  the  landlord  said. 
"I  have  plenty  of  bread  and  meat  in  the  house,  and  could 
put  a  couple  of  bottles  of  good  wine  into  your  saddle-bag." 

"  Thank  you ;  that  would  be  best,  especially  as  I  shall  want 
the  meat  cooked.  There  are  three  of  us,  and  as  we  sha'n't 
have  much  else,  we  can  do  with  at  least  two  pounds  a  day 
each,  and  about  the  same  quantity  of  bread.  We  shall  want  a 
bag  of  mealies  for  the  horses,  they  wouldn't  pick  up  much 
on  the  veldt.  I  have  got  six  water-bottles,  which  it  will  be  as 
well  to  fill  before  we  start,  for  we  may  cross  the  river  in  a, 
hurry,  and  there  is  not  much  chance  of  finding  water  in  any 
of  the  spruits.  We  have  got  tin  mugs,  and  the  only  other 
thing  we  require  is  some  tobacco;  I  forgot  to  lay  in  a  supply 
at  Bloemf ontein.  Can  you  pick  up  a  pony  for  my  Kaffir  ?  " 

Yorke  now  went  out  and  joined  Hans,  who  was  waiting 
for  him  in  the  street.  Looking  carelessly  at  the  shops  as  they 
went  along,  they  made  their  way  out  of  the  town,  and,  having 
been  directed  by  the  innkeeper,  struck  off  by  the  road  they 
intended  to  follow  without  having  to  ask  any  questions. 
They  went  about  half  a  mile  and  then  returned,  as  it  would 
have  seemed  unnatural  for  them  to  be  seen  walking  farther. 

"I  think  we  know  as  much  as  we  need  about  it  now," 
Yorke  said.  "  We  may  as  well  g"o  back  to  the  inn.  It  is 
quite  evident  that  we  are  not  likely  to  be  asked  any  questions 
here,  nor,  indeed,  as  far  as  I  can  see,  anywhere,  unless  we 
come  upon  an  outpost." 

They  loitered  about  the  streets  for  an  hour.  No  one  spoke 
to  them,  for  the  Boer  force  there  was  composed  of  men  from 
various  parts  of  the  Colony,  as  well  as  from  the  Free  State, 


292  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

and  as  they  were  to  a  great  extent  unknown  to  each  other, 
a  fresh  face  excited  no  attention.  Yorke  on  their  return 
found  the  landlord  had  bought  a  stout  pony  for  Peter.  Half 
an  hour  later  Peter  ran  into  their  room. 

"Baas,"  he  exclaimed,  "there  are  three  Boers  looking  at 
our  horses.  They  say  that  one  of  them  is  stolen." 

Yorke  and  Hans  caught  up  their  rifles  and  bandoliers  and 
ran  downstairs. 

"  I  was  rubbing  them  down,  baas,  in  the  yard  when  they 
came  in,  and  one  of  them  pointed  to  the  brand  on  the  horse 
you  ride  and  said  he  knew  it.  Then  they  asked  who  was  my 
master,  and  I  said,  'Mr.  Meyring';  and  he  said,  'I  have 
reason  to  believe  that  this  horse  is  stolen  from  a  friend  of 
mine.  If  he  is  in  the  inn  tell  him  to  come  here.' " 

The  yard  was  at  the  back  of  the  house,  with  a  gate  opening 
into  a  lane  behind  it.  As  they  entered  it  Yorke  started 
involuntarily,  for  he  recognized  in  one  of  the  men  who  was 
standing  by  his  horse  his  old  enemy  Dirck  Jansen;  it  had 
never  occurred  to  him  that,  as  Eichmond  lay  but  some  eighty 
miles  from  Colesberg,  this  was  the  point  Dirck  would  be 
most  likely  to  make  for  as  soon  as  it  was  seized  by  the  men 
of  the  Free  State.  Fortunately  Dirck's  back  was  towards 
him  and  he  did  not  notice  the  momentary  pause. 

"  Where  did  you  get  this  horse,  sir  ? "  Dirck  asked  authori- 
tatively. 

"I  am  not  accustomed  to  be  questioned  in  that  tone," 
Yorke  said  quietly.  "  I  have  had  the  horse  for  some  months. 
I  had  it  at  Pretoria." 

"  It  has  been  stolen,"  Dirck  said  angrily.  "  It  belonged  to 
a  neighbour  of  mine  near  Richmond.  I  have  seen  him 
riding  it,  and  I  know  well  that  he  would  never  have  sold 
it.  I  don't  say  that  you  stole  it,  I  simply  say  that  it  was 
stolen;  and  unless  you  can  prove  to  me  that  you  came  by 
it  honestly,  I  shall  take  it." 

"  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  carrying  receipts  about  me  for 
months,"  Yorke  said;  "nor  do  I  show  them  to  the  first 


AN  OLD  ENEMY  293 

stranger  who  rudely  asks  for  them.  My  man  here  can  con- 
firm what  I  say,  that  I  have  had  the  animal  for  more  than 
six  months." 

The  calmness  with  which  Yorke  answered  him  still  further 
excited  the  passionate  young  Boer,  and  he  turned  suddenly 
upon  Hans,  on  whose  face  there  was  a  broad  grin  of  amuse- 
ment. 

"  You  insolent  young  lout,"  he  exclaimed,  "  how  dare  you 
laugh  when  your  betters  are  talking ! "  and  he  brought  down 
his  heavy  whip  upon  his  head,  knocking  off  his  hat,  and  al- 
most striking  him  to  the  ground.  "  Ah !  "  he  exclaimed,  as 
he  saw  his  face  plainly,  "  I  know  you  now.  You  are  the 
fellow  who  ran  away  from  Allnutt's  farm.  Now  I  under- 
stand it.  This  no  doubt  is — "  and  he  turned  towards  Yorke. 
But  before  the  name  was  out  of  his  lips,  Yorke  sprung  at 
him,  and  with  the  same  blow  that  had  once  before  proved 
so  effective,  knocked  him  off  his  feet,  his  head  striking 
heavily  on  the  pavement  of  the  yard. 

His  two  companions  raised  a  shout,  and  would  have  thrown 
themselves  upon  Yorke,  but  Peter,  who  had  scarcely  taken  in 
the  purport  of  the  conversation,  sprang  upon  one  of  them 
and  grasped  him  by  the  throat.  Hans  had,  as  he  recovered 
from  the  blow  he  had  received,  snatched  his  rifle  from  his 
shoulder,  and  grasping  it  by  the  muzzle,  met  the  other  Boer 
with  a  sweeping  stroke,  which  caught  him  on  the  temple,  and 
prostrated  him  apparently  lifeless  on  the  ground. 

"Hold  that  fellow  tight,  Peter,"  Yorke  said  sharply; 
"  choke  him  if  he  struggles. 

"  Hans,  fetch  one  of  the  picket  ropes  from  the  stable.  Now, 
tie  Dirck  up,  hand  and  foot,  tightly,  and  shove  my  handker- 
chief into  his  mouth.  That  will  do  for  the  present;  we  will 
fasten  him  more  securely  afterwards.  Now,  help  me  to  carry 
him  into  the  stable.  That  is  right.  Drop  him  down  in  this 
empty  stall.  Now  another  rope,  and  then  we  will  tie  the 
fellow  Peter  has  hold  of.  Peter,  slacken  your  hold  a  little, 
he  is  black  in  the  face.  Now,  round  his  legs  first,  Hans. 


294  WITH  ROBEETS  TO  PRETORIA 

That  will  do.  Now,  Peter,  we  will  drag  him  into  the 
stable;  there  is  no  fear  of  his  shouting  for  a  minute  or  two. 
Now,  Hans,  for  your  man;  I  rather  fancy  you  have  killed 
him.  We  can't  help  it  whether  you  have  or  not.  Now  you 
can  tie  them  more  securely,  and  gag  Dirck  and  Peter's  man 
effectually.  We  need  not  trouble  about  the  third;  if  he  does 
come  round,  it  won't  be  for  a  long  time.  Now  we  will  drag 
them  to  the  farthest  stall,  so  that  if  anyone  happens  to  look 
into  the  stable,  he  won't  notice  them  unless  he  enters.  Now, 
Hans,  run  upstairs  and  fetch  down  the  blankets  and  things. 
You  saddle  the  horses;  I  will  look  in  and  pay  for  the  horse 
and  other  things  the  landlord  has  bought  for  us." 

"  You  have  got  the  things  for  which  I  asked  you,  land- 
lord?" 

"  Yes,  they  are  all  in  this  basket." 

"  Thanks,  I  will  pack  them  in  my  saddle-bags  at  once.  I 
am  off  in  a  hurry.  I  have  just  been,  recognized  by  one  of 
these  Boers,  and  haven't  a  minute  to  lose.  Let  me  know  what 
I  owe  you  altogether.  I  will  pack  these  things  while  you  are 
making  out  the  account.  Where  is  your  Kaffir  boy  ?  he  is  not 
in  the  yard." 

"  I  have  sent  him  into  the  town  on  an  errand." 

"Well,  when  he  returns,  will  you  manage  to  send  him 
somewhere  else  that  will  keep  him  from  going  to  the  stables 
for  the  next  hour.  I  have  a  particular  reason  for  wishing 
that  no  one  shall  enter  them  for  at  least  that  time.  It  is 
just  as  well  that  I  should  not  tell  you  why." 

The  landlord  nodded.  "  The  best  thing  you  can  do,  sir, 
is  to  lock  the  door  and  bring  me  the  key,  in  case  any  Boers 
ride  up  and  want  to  put  their  horses  there.  I  may  mislay  it 
for  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  If  they  are  only  staying  for  a 
short  time,  they  will  probably  content  themselves  with  leav- 
ing the  horses  in  the  yard  when  they  find  they  cannot  get 
into  the  stables." 

"  Thank  you  very  much.    I  think  an  hour  will  give  us  a 


AN  OLD  ENEMY  295 

fair  start,  for  at  any  rate  we  could  not  be  overtaken  before 
it  gets  dark." 

Five  minutes  later  Yorke  and  Hans  rode  out  into  the 
yard,  followed  by  Peter,  and  were  soon  clear  of  the  town. 
They  now  put  their  horses  into  a  trot,  the  native  keeping 
eight  or  ten  lengths  behind.  They  slackened  their  pace  a 
little  as  they  passed  between  two  hills,  on  which  parties  of 
Boers  were  posted.  There  was  nothing  unusual  in  their 
riding  out  to  join  the  scouting  parties,  and  no  attention  was 
paid  to  them.  When  well  beyond  this  point,  they  again 
quickened  their  pace. 

"  It  is  a  pity  you  did  not  kill  Dirck,  Master  Yorke,"  Hans 
said;  "he  will  always  be  a  trouble." 

"  I  could  not  kill  him  in  cold  blood,  Hans;  though,  if  it 
had  Eeeii  a  fight,  I  should  have  done  so  without  hesitation. 
He  has  tried  to  kill  me  twice,  and  I  should  feel  myself  per- 
fectly justified  in  taking  his  life.  However,  we  can  con- 
gratulate ourselves  on  having  got  out  of  that  scrape  so 
easily.  If  the  alarm  had  been  given,  nothing  could  have 
saved  us.  You  and  I  would  have  been  denounced  as  spies, 
and  shot  without  the  semblance  of  a  trial.  We  will  en- 
deavour to  cross  the  river  to-night,  if  we  can  get  down  to  the 
bank  without  interruption.  If  we  were  to  meet  any  party 
now,  our  story  that  we  have  just  joined  the  commando,  and 
have  been  sent  by  Moens  on  outpost  duty  to  begin  with, 
would  do  as  long  as  we  are  posted  on  the  river.  But  this 
would  hardly  be  good  enough  if  we  cross,  especially  as  we  do 
not  know  whether  any  parties  are  beyond  it;  and  as  we 
may  have  a  lot  of  them  out  in  pursuit  of  us  in  half  an  hour, 
we  cannot  risk  being  detained.  Besides,  it  will  be  quite 
dark  by  the  time  we  get  there,  and  naturally  we  should  wait 
till  morning  before  crossing  the  river.  So  we  will  go  on  till 
we  believe  we  are  about  a  mile  from  it,  and  then  turn  off, 
strike  the  river,  and  if  it  is  too  dark  then  to  choose  a  place 
for  crossing,  wait  till  morning.  But  if  we  don't  find  the 


296  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA. 

banks  too  steep,  we  will  swim  the  horses  over.  I  sha'n't  be 
comfortable  until  we  are  on  the  other  side. 

"We  need  not  worry  ourselves,  but  will  let  the  horses  go 
at  their  own  pace,  so  as  to  be  fresh  if  we  are  chased.  Be- 
sides, if  we  are  going  at  a  leisurely  pace,  we  shall  not  attract 
any  particular  attention  should  we  be  seen  by  the  scouts  on 
the  neighbouring  hills." 

They  went  at  a  fast  canter  now. 

"I  am  afraid  that  it  is  too  light  to  go  on,"  Yorke  said, 
when  he  guessed  that  they  were  within  three  miles  of  the 
river.  "We  will  turn  off  to  the  left,  and  when  we  get  to 
a  place  where  we  cannot  be  seen  from  any  of  the  hills,  we 
will  halt  till  it  is  nearly  dark,  then  we  will  turn  back,  recross 
the  road,  and  keep  along  on  the  north  side  of  it.  If  any- 
one in  search  of  us  comes  along  and  questions  the  Boer  out- 
posts, if  they  get  any  information  at  all,  it  will  be  that  we 
were  seen  to  turn  off  to  the  left  of  the  road,  and  they  will 
think  that  we  intend  to  cross  either  by  the  Hanover  Road, 
or  that  of  Philipstown,  or  to  swim  the  river  between  them. 
Of  course  that  would  be  our  natural  line  to  De  Aar,  and 
it  is  at  these  points  their  scouts  will  be  most  vigilant,  for 
any  hostile  movement  would  come  from  De  Aar,  and  not 
from  the  north  road  through  Petrusville.  This  is  so  evident, 
that  I  have  great  doubts  whether  they  would  even  place  a 
guard  at  that  crossing." 

This  plan  was  carried  out.  Recrossing  the  road  after  dark, 
they  kept  close  to  it,  pausing  and  listening  occasionally  for 
the  sound  of  horsemen. 

"  They  have  gone  by  other  roads,"  Yorke  said.  "  Now, 
Peter,"  he  went  on,  "you  have  better  ears  than  any  of  us, 
and  your  footsteps  will  not  be  heard.  We  will  keep  half  a 
mile  behind  you,  and  will  lead  the  horses.  When  you  get 
near  the  river,  you  must  go  very  cautiously,  and  find  out 
whether  there  are  any  men  on  guard  there.  When  you  have 
discovered  that,  run  back  with  the  news.  Of  course,  if  no 
one  is  there,  we  shall  come  straight  on  and  cross.  If  there 


AN  OLD  ENEMY  297 

is  a  guard,  we  will  turn  to  the  right  and  strike  the  river  a 
mile  higher  up,  and  cross  if  we  can." 

Peter  at  once  set  off  at  a  run,  the  others  following  at  a 
leisurely  walk.  In  half  an  hour  he  rejoined  them. 

"  No  one  is  there,  baas,  and  the  water  is  low,  and  we 
can  cross  the  drift  easily  enough." 

"  That  is  good.  We  will  push  on  at  once,  then,  for  if 
those  fellows  in  the  stables  were  discovered  soon  after  we 
left,  we  may  have  a  party  in  pursuit  of  us  along  this  road, 
as  well  as  the  others,  even  now." 

They  mounted  and  went  on  at  a  trot  to  the  river.  It  was 
of  some  width,  but  it  was  not  too  deep  for  the  horses  to  ford. 
They  had  gone  a  quarter  of  a  mile  on  the  other  side,  when 
Peter  said,  "  Listen,  master,  horses  coming1."  They  drew 
rein,  and  sat  listening  for  two  or  three  minutes.  They  could 
hear  nothing.  Then  there  was  a  low  sound,  which  rapidly 
increased  in  volume  until  it  came  to  an  abrupt  halt.  Then 
on  the  still  night  air  they  could  hear  a  volley  of  execrations. 

"  They  have  reached  the  river.  We  only  had  ten  minutes 
to  spare,"  Yorke  said.  "I  don't  think  they  will  pursue  us 
any  farther,  as  they  cannot  be  sure  that  we  have  come  by  this 
road,  though  they  must  have  learned  from  the  men  on  the 
hills  that  we  started  for  it;  but  we  might  easily  have  crossed 
to  the  Philippolis  side  after  we  got  out  of  sight.  At  any  rate, 
they  know  that  they  would  have  no  chance  of  catching  us 
to-night,  as  we  should  only  have  to  move  two  or  three  hundred 
yards  off  the  road  to  be  well  out  of  sight.  Now,  Peter,  tear 
up  one  of  the  blankets  and  muffle  the  horses'  feet;  they  could 
hear  us  a  long  way  off  in  the  stillness." 

"  I  will  do  that,  baas ;  but  they  too  angry  and  talk  too 
much  to  hear  us." 

"  That  is  likely  enough,  Peter ;  but  there  is  nothing  like 
being  on  the  safe  side." 

Five  minutes  sufficed  to  muffle  the  feet  of  the  horses,  and 
then  they  continued  their  journey,  keeping  on  the  road, 
sometimes  going  at  a  trot,  and  sometimes  walking,  until  they 


298  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

had  covered,  they  calculated,  some  twenty  miles  from  the 
river.  Then  they  moved  off  a  few  hundred  yards,  opened 
the  saddle-bags,  and  had  a  good  meal,  gave  the  horses  a  feed 
of  mealies,  and  lay  down  for  the  night.  They  were  on  the 
move  again  at  daybreak.  Yorke  had  decided  to  go  on  as  far 
as  the  little  stream  called  the  Hondebloss,  where  they  could 
give  the  horses  a  drink  and  fill  up  the  water-bottles,  which 
they  had  not  had  time  to  do  before  leaving,  though  fortu- 
nately they  had  watered  their  horses  at  the  small  stream 
that  runs  through  Colesberg.  It  was  possible  that  there 
might  be  a  Boer  force  at  Petrusville,  and  therefore  he  de- 
termined to  strike  due  west  from  the  river  for  Potfonteiii 
Siding.  The  distance  was  too  far  to  be  traversed  in  a  day, 
without  the  risk  of  knocking  up  the  horses.  Consequently 
they  camped  out  on  the  veldt  that  night,  and  arrived  at  the 
little  railway-station  the  next  morning. 

Here  they  found  a  company  of  militia,  whose  officer  at 
first  regarded  them  with  some  suspicion.  Yorke  had,  how- 
ever, that  morning  stowed  away  his  wig  as  before,  and  Hans 
had  cut  off  the  long  fringe  of  hair  under  his  straw-hat,  and 
on  stripping  off  his  coat  and  flannel  shirt,  Yorke  showed 
the  khaki  uniform  underneath,  with  shoulder-strap  with  the 
badges  showing  the  number  of  his  corps.  The  story,  too, 
that  he  had  escaped  from  Pretoria  was  recognized  to  be  true. 

"You  will  have  to  ride  up  to  the  Modder,  there  is  no 
getting  into  a  train  here.  Troops  are  passing  up  every 
day.  I  suppose  you  know  that  Lord  Eoberts  has  now 
arrived  to  take  the  command.  He  reached  Cape  Town  on  the 
10th  of  January.  Lord  Kitchener  came  with  him  as  chief 
of  his  staff.  We  expect  them  to  come  through  in  a  few  days. 
Our  troops  have  been  pouring  up  fast.  No  doubt  there  will 
be  a  forward  movement  directly  he  arrives.  It  is  a  frightful 
nuisance  being  stuck  down  here  guarding  the  line.  So  you 
have  come  down  from  Pretoria?  How  did  you  manage  to 
get  away  ?  " 

"It  is  a  long  story,"  Yorke  replied.    "I  shall  have  time 


AN  OLD  ENEMY  299 

to  give  it  to  you  at  full  length  presently.  As  Lord  Eoberts 
has  not  yet  come  up,  I  shall  give  my  horses  a  couple  of  days' 
rest.  They  have  made  a  tremendous  journey.  We  drove 
from  Pretoria  to  Bloemfontein,  averaging  nearly  fifty  miles 
a  day,  got  a  lift  in  the  train  down  to  Colesberg,  and  have 
come  from  there  in  two  days." 

"  They  certainly  deserve  a  rest  then  before  going  ninety 
miles  from  here  to  the  Modder." 

"  I  wish  I  could  get  a  lift  in  a  train.  Our  horses  have 
done  very  heavy  work  lately.  We  should  have  three  days' 
ride  of  thirty  miles  each  to  the  Modder;  it  would  be  much 
pleasanter  for  us  to  be  able  to  go  by  train  than  have  to  ride 
all  the  way." 

"I  am  afraid  I  cannot  manage  that,"  the  officer  said. 
"  Quantities  of  stores  are  going  up,  and  lots  of  Kaffirs  accom- 
pany them  to  help  handle  them  and  do  heavy  work.  If  you 
had  been  on  foot,  of  course  you  could  have  gone,  but  we 
have  no  empty  trucks  we  could  put  on  for  the  horses.  And 
now  I  suppose  you  are  hungry.  We  have  nothing  but  bully 
beef  to  offer  you.  There  is  no  getting  up  stores  at  present, 
and  we  have  none  but  our  rations." 

"  Thank  you.  I  breakfasted  before  starting.  I  have  some 
five  or  six  pounds  of  excellent  cold  beef,  which  I  hope  you 
will  join  me  in  eating.  I  have  also  a  couple  of  bottles  of 
wine  and  a  tin  of  biscuits." 

"  That  is  reversing  the  usual  order  of  things,"  the  officer 
laughed.  "  However,  we  are  not  men  to  stand  on  ceremony. 
At  any  rate,  we  will  add  your  fare  to  ours." 

An  hour  later  Yorke  sat  down  to  a  meal  with  the  three 
officers  of  the  detachment;  and  he  then  related  the  story  of 
his  escape  from  Pretoria,  and,  without  alluding  to  the  treas- 
ure, told  how  Hans  had  overheard  the  plot  to  attack  the  house 
of  the  English  president  of  one  of  the  mines,  and  how  they 
had  defeated  it. 

"  You  may  well  say  that  your  man  is  a  good  fellow,  and 

it  native  of  yours  also.    Your  servant  is  eating  his  supper 


300  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

now  with  the  non-commissioned  officers,  and  by  the  laughter, 
I  have  no  doubt  he  is  giving  them  his  account  of  his  adven- 
tures." 

The  next  two  days  were  spent  quietly  in  resting  the  horses, 
and  with  good  feeding  they  were  again  fit  for  travel.  On 
the  following  morning'  they  mounted  early  and  rode  to  Orange 
River  Station.  Yorke  was  hospitably  entertained  by  one  of 
the  officers  of  a  regiment  stationed  there,  while  Hans  and 
Peter  were  equally  well  looked  after.  Two  days  afterwards 
they  rode  into  the  camp  on  the  Modder  Eiver. 


CHAPTEE  XVII 

THE  RELIEF   OF   KIMBERLEY 

THE   camp  had  grown  vastly  in  size  during  the  eight 
weeks  Yorke  had  been  away.    He  went  at  once  to  the 
camp  now  occupied  by  General  Pole-Carew's  brigade.     On 
his  sending  in  his  name,  the  general  himself  came  to  the  door 
of  his  tent. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Harberton,"  he  exclaimed,  "  how  on  earth  have 
you  got  back  so  soon?  We  heard  from  a  telegram  through 
Lorenzo  Marques  that  you  had  escaped,  but  that  was  little 
more  than  a  fortnight  since,  and  I  did  not  expect  that  you 
could  have  joined  us  again  for  another  three  weeks  at  least. 
You  are  just  in  time.  We  expect  Lord  Roberts  to-morrow, 
and  you  may  be  sure  that  he  will  not  lose  a  day  when  he 
arrives.  By  the  way,  Lucas  has  returned,  and  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that  I  have  no  vacancy  on  my  staff;  but  I  shall  be  seeing 
Lord  Methuen  this  afternoon,  and  I  will  ask  him,  if  he  has 
an  opportunity,  to  mention  you  to  Lord  Roberts,  saying 
how  you  got  into  Kimberley  and  out  again,  and  now  have 
made  your  escape  from  Pretoria,  and  that  your  knowledge  of 
Dutch  makes  you  a  most  valuable  staff-officer.  Possibly  the 


THE  BELIEF  OF  KIMBERLEY  301 

chief  may  like  to  have  you  on  his  staff  as  interpreter  and 
so  on,  for  these  Boers  all  make  a  point  of  pretending1  that 
they  do  not  understand  English,  although  there  is  no  doubt 
that  almost  all  of  them  in  the  Free  State,  and  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  Transvaal  men,  do  so.  I  suppose  you  would 
rather  be  on  the  staff  than  join  your  regiment?" 

"  I  certainly  would  rather  be  with  Lord  Roberts,  sir.  I 
should  be  sure  to  see  what  is  going  on  then,  while  I  might 
not  be  so  lucky  if  I  were  with  the  cavalry." 

"  I  will  speak  to  Lord  Methuen  about  it.  I  have  an  hour 
to  spare  just  at  the  present  time,  so  you  might  tell  me  how 
you  escaped  from  Pretoria.  Of  course,  I  know  how  you  were 
taken." 

Yorke  gave  an  account  of  his  adventures. 

"  Well,  you  are  a  lucky  fellow  in  having  two  such  followers 
as  the  Dutchman  and  the  Kaffir.  The  last  got  you  out  of 
the  hands  of  the  Boers  at  Boshof,  and  now  the  Dutchman 
has  got  you  out  of  Pretoria.  You  remind  me  of  the  Three 
Musketeers.  I  suppose  you  have  read  that  story  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  I  always  thought  it  ought  to  be  called  the 
Four  Musketeers." 

The  general  smiled.  "  That  escape  of  yours  at  Colesberg 
was  an  exceptionally  narrow  thing,"  he  said,  "  and  I  must 
really  congratulate  you  on  the  way  you  managed  it.  Well, 
I  suppose  you  will  go  to  your  regiment  now.  Give  my  com- 
pliments to  the  colonel,  and  say  that  I  wish  you  to  remain 
in  camp  for  a  few  days,  in  case  Lord  Roberts  may  desire  to 
hear  from  you  something  about  the  state  of  the  prisons  at 
Pretoria  and  what  you  saw  as  you  came  down." 

"  It  is  a  good  thing  to  have  a  fellow  like  you  in  the  regi- 
ment, Harberton,"  the  colonel  said  that  evening  after  mess 
was  over.  "  Your  stories  give  us  something  fresh  to  think 
about,  and  anything  that  keeps  us  from  talking  of  the  eternal 
subject  of  what  Lord  Roberts  is  likely  to  do  when  he  gets 
here  is  an  unmixed  pleasure.  Besides,  gentlemen,  there  is 
no  saying  what  the  fortunes  of  war  may  bring  forth,  and 


302  WITH  KOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

some  of  us  may  see  the  inside  of  a  Boer  prison  before  it 
is  all  over.  Now  we  know  how  Mr.  Harberton  got  away, 
we  may  get  some  hints  that  may  be  useful  to  us — for  in- 
stance, how  he  got  through  those  wire  fences." 

"Yes,  colonel,"  the  major  said;  "but  as  we  cannot  any 
of  us  speak  Dutch  his  example  of  the  manner  in  which  he 
made  his  way  down  would  not  be  of  any  use  whatever  to  us. 
A  prisoner  can  think  of  a  dozen  ways  of  getting  out  of  a 
prison;  he  might  throttle  a  warder,  dress  himself  up  in  his 
clothes,  and  march  out.  But  what  could  he  do  after  he  was 
out  ?  He  couldn't  buy  as  much  as  a  crust  of  bread  and  cheese 
or  a  glass  of  beer,  and  the  first  time  he  opened  his  lips  he 
would  be  seized." 

"  There  would  be  difficulties,  no  doubt ;  but  you  know  two 
or  three  officers  have  got  away,  and  I  am  pretty  sure  none 
of  them  spoke  Dutch.  Now,  if  any  of  you  gentlemen  had 
taken  such  pains  as  Mr.  Harberton  to  acquire  the  language 
you  might  have  distinguished  yourself  as  he  has  done.  The 
regiment  was  out  here  before  he  landed,  and  there  is  not 
one  of  you  who  can  put  a  sentence  together  in  Dutch." 

"  Come,  colonel,  don't  be  too  hard  on  us,"  one  of  the 
captains  said.  "We  had  no  occasion  to  speak  a  word  of 
Dutch  at  the  Cape,  and  certainly  we  have  had  no  opportunity 
since  we  left  it." 

"That  is  true  enough,"  the  colonel  agreed;  "but"— and 
he  went  on  more  gravely — "it  has  been  evident  for  many 
months  that  war  was  probable,  and  it  would  have  been  well — 
I  speak  for  myself  as  well  as  for  you — if  we  had  devoted 
an  hour  or  two  a  day  to  getting  up  the  language,  for  we 
should  have  known  that  it  was  sure  to  be  useful  in  case  of 
a  campaign,  and  we  have  all  frequently  felt  the  difficulty  of 
obtaining  information  from  the  farmers  when  scouting.  We 
have  missed  a  good  opportunity,  and  very  often  time  has 
hung  heavy  on  our  hands  in  spite  of  polo  and  other  amuse- 
ments. One  does  not  expect  to  find  many  studious  men  in 
a  cavalry  regiment,  still,  I  do  wonder  that  none  of  us  saw 


THE  BELIEF  OF  KIMBEBLEY  303 

what  an  advantage  it  would  be  to  speak  Dutch.  Look  at 
Mr.  Harberton  and  see  what  he  has  gained  by  his  industry. 
He  has  been  employed  on  dangerous  service,  he  succeeds  in 
getting  into  Kimberley,  he  obtains  a  commission  thereby, 
and  now  it  has  carried  him  safely  through  the  Transvaal  and 
Orange  Free  State,  and  will  probably  cause  him  to  be 
selected  for  other  special  work." 

"  There  is  no  credit  due  to  me,  sir,"  Yorke  said.  "  I 
certainly  did  work  at  Dutch  on  the  voyage  out,  but  after- 
wards, being  on  a  Dutch  farm  and  scarcely  hearing  English 
spoken,  I  had  to  learn  the  language,  and  had  continual  op- 
portunities of  mastering1  it." 

"  That  is  all  very  well,"  the  colonel  said,  "  but  there  are 
many  fellows  who,  had  they  been  in  your  position,  would 
not  have  learned  much.  You  tell  me  that  your  cousin  is 
English,  and  certainly  your  man  Hans  speaks  our  language, 
and  thus  you  could,  had  you  chosen,  have  got  on  very  fairly 
without  Dutch,  and  though  you  may  disclaim  any  credit,  that 
does  not  in  any  way  alter  the  fact." 

"  I  thought  I  heard  firing  as  we  came  along  this  morning. 
Has  there  been  any,  sir?"  Yorke  asked,  in  order  to  change 
the  conversation. 

"  Yes,  the  fighting  began  again  on  the  3rd.  Macdonald 
with  the  Highland  Brigade,  two  squadrons  of  ours,  a  field- 
battery,  and  some  engineers,  moved  down  to  Koodoosberg 
Drift  seventeen  miles  away.  On  the  6th  the  engineers 
began  to  erect  a  fort,  but  the  Boers  soon  mustered  very 
strongly,  and  the  position  was  commanded  by  a  kopje  to 
the  north.  Skirmishing  went  on  all  day,  and  yesterday 
two  batteries  of  horse  artillery  and  a  brigade  of  cavalry 
reinforced  Macdonald.  The  fighting  has  gone  on  all  day, 
but  our  guns  have,  we  hear,  gradually  driven  the  Boers  back. 
I  expect  the  force  will  be  recalled  when  Lord  Roberts  arrives 
to-morrow.  I  imagine  it  was  only  intended  to  keep  the 
Boers'  attention  occupied  in  that  direction  and  lead  them 
to  believe  that  the  intention  was  to  turn  their  position  on 


304  "WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

their  right  flank,  and  so  relieve  Kimberley  without  having 
to  again  attack  their  position  at  Magersfontein.  Of  course 
none  of  us  know  what  Lord  Roberta's  plans  are,  but  I  hardly 
think  that,  if  he  had  intended  to  carry  out  that  line  of  at- 
tack, he  would  have  called  the  Boers'  attention  to  the  fact 
until  he  was  perfectly  ready  to  begin." 

"  There  must  be  a  very  large  force  here  now,  colonel, 
judging  from  the  size  of  the  camp." 

"  Yes,  in  addition  to  the  division  that  fought  their  way 
here,  there  are  now,  counting  those  at  the  stations  between 
this  and  De  Aar,  three  others — some  twenty-five  thousand  in- 
fantry; and  we  have  now  ninety-eight  guns  altogether. 
Counting  our  cavalry,  which  now  musters  nearly  five  thou- 
sand sabres,  there  must  be  over  forty  thousand  men  between 
Orange  River  Station  and  this  place — a  very  different  force 
from  that  with  which  Methuen  attempted  to  relieve  Kimber- 
ley in  the  first  place.  Cronje  will  have  all  his  work  cut  out 
for  him  to  keep  his  grip  on  the  town." 

The  next  morning  Lord  Roberts,  with  Lord  Kitchener  and 
his  staff,  reached  the  Modder  River.  Their  arrival  created 
immense  enthusiasm  among  the  troops.  Lord  Roberts  had 
long  been  the  popular  hero  £>f__jjipJQjjt,ig^  flrTpy,  ^^  only 
~lia67~he  accomplished  all  that  he  had  undertaken — and  his 
name  been  associated  with  the  long  series  of  successes  in 
India — but  his  care  for  the  comfort  of  the  soldiers,  his  kind- 
ness of  heart  and  cheeriness  of  manner,  had  won  their  affec- 
tion, and  every  soldier  felt  that  under  "  Bobs  " — the  name 
by  which  he  was  universally  known  among  the  rank  and  file 
— they  would  speedily  turn  the  tables  on  the  Boers.  The 
arrival  of  Lord  Kitchener  on  the  scene  was  of  scarcely  less 
importance  than  was  that  of  the  commander-in-chief.  He 
had  in  Egypt  shown  not  only  the  qualifications  necessary  for 
a  leader  of  men,  but  an  extraordinary  power  of  organization, 
and  since  his  arrival  at  the  Cape  a  month  previously  he  had 
effected  wonders. 

When  he  landed  there  was  practically  no  transport,  and  the 


THE  BELIEF  OP  KIMBERLEY  305 

consequence  was  that  the  army  had  to  depend  entirely  upon 
the  railway,  and  could  not  have  moved  more  than  two  or 
three  days'  march  away  from  it.  Now  an  immense  train  had 
been  organized,  and  the  army  could,  if  necessary,  cut  itself 
loose  from  the  railway,  and  depend  for  ten  days  or  a  fort- 
night upon  its  own  supplies.  His  position  as  chief  on  Lord 
Roberts's  staff  went  far  to  ensure  that  no  mistake  would 
occur,  that  every  movement  would  be  effected  as  perfectly 
as  human  fore-thought  could  arrange  it,  and  that  every  detail 
would  be  seen  to,  every  contingency  prepared  for.  In  char- 
acter, however,  the  two  great  leaders  differed  greatly.  With 
every  faculty  concentrated  upon  his  work  Lord  Kitchener 
never  spared  himself,  and  he  expected  an  equal  devotion  to 
duty  from  all  under  his  command,  officers  and  men  alike. 
He  was  a  man  of  iron,  one  who  could  make  but  small  allow- 
ance for  the  weakness  of  others,  would  admit  of  no  careless- 
ness, and  had  no  sympathy  with  the  love  of  amusement  and 
the  easy-going  manner  of  doing  work  that  were  characteristic 
of  no  inconsiderable  proportion  of  the  younger  officers  of  the 
army. 

He  was  admired  and  respected,  but  he  had  not  Lord 
Roberts's  knack  of  making  himself  loved  by  all  with  whom 
he^cam,e..kL  contaetc  The  twenty  years  of  scouting,  cam- 
paigning, and  working  in  Egypt  had  given  him  something  of 
the  nature  of  the  Arabs  and  natives  with  whom  he  had  been 
associated.  His  face  afforded  no  index  to  his  thoughts.  He 
spoke  but  little,  but  it  was  always  to  the  point;  his  eyes  had 
the  faraway  look  of  one  constantly  scanning  the  distance 
for  the  approach  of  an  enemy;  his  anger  expressed  itself  only 
in  a  few  quiet  words  that  cut  like  whips.  His  appearance 
in  camp  was  at  once  the  sign  for  additional  activity,  sharper 
discipline,  and  an  increased  attention  to  duties  of  all  kinds. 
No  better  right  hand  could  have  been  chosen  by  Lord  Roberts 
for  the  work  to  be  done,  and  wherever  things  went  a  little 
wrong  it  needed  but  Kitchener's  presence  to  set  them  right 


306  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Not  a  day  was  lost.  Lord  Eoberts  arrived  on  the  morning 
of  the  8th,  and  the  next  evening  the  force  from  Koodoosberg 
returned  to  camp,  and  a  series  of  orders  were  that  day 
quietly  issued.  On  the  llth  the  cavalry  division  under  Gen- 
eral French,  with  seven  batteries  of  horse  artillery,  and  two 
field-batteries,  left  the  Modder  Kiver  camp  for  Ramdam,  a 
large  pool  near  the  Eiet  River,  five  miles  south  of  the  village 
of  Koffyf ontein ;  and  General  Tucker,  with  the  7th  Infantry 
division,  marched  to  the  same  point  from  the  railway-station 
of  Enslin  and  Graspan;  the  other  divisions  were  ordered  to 
hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  move.  That  morning  one  of 
Lord  Roberts's  aides-de-camp  rode  into  the  camp  of  the  9th 
Lancers  and  asked  for  Lieutenant  Harberton,  to  accompany 
him  at  once  to  head-quarters,  as  Lord  Roberts  wished  to 
speak  to  him. 

Yorke  congratulated  himself  now  that  he  had,  two  days 
after  Magersfontein,  bought  the  entire  kit  of  an  officer  who 
had  been  killed  there,  and  this  included  a  tunic,  breeches, 
and  gaiters  that  had  never  been  worn.  In  these  he  hurriedly 
attired  himself  for  the  first  time  and  then  mounted  his  horse, 
which  had  been  standing  ready  saddled  in  case  he  should 
receive  any  order,  and  accompanied  the  aide-de-camp.  On 
reaching  the  head-quarter  camp  they  dismounted,  an  orderly 
took  their  horses,  and  the  officer,  entering  the  tent  of  the 
commander-in-chief,  returned  at  once  telling  Yorke  that  he 
was  to  enter. 

"  Lord  Methuen  has  given  me  an  outline  of  your  services, 
Mr.  Harberton,"  Lord  Roberts  said  kindly.  "The  story  is 
really  a  remarkable  one,  and  shows  a  singular  amount  of 
enterprise,  courage,  and  coolness  on  the  part  of  so  young  an 
officer.  What  is  even  more  to  the  point  at  the  present 
moment  is,  you  have  shown  you  can  speak  Dutch  well — at 
any  rate,  well  enough  to  pass  as  a  Boer,  and  that  you  can  also 
converse  to  some  extent  to  Kaffirs  in  their  own  tongue. 
Captain  Watermeyer  is  the  only  member  of  my  staff  who 


THE  BELIEF  OF  KIMBERLEY  307 

can  speak  Dutch  well,  and  I  am  sure  he  will  he  glad  of  your 
assistance  in  examining  prisoners,  farmers,  or  natives ;  there- 
fore, I  have  much  pleasure  in  appointing  you  as  an  extra 
aide-de-camp." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,  I  feel  it  is  a  high  honour  indeed  that  you 
have  conferred  upon  me." 

"It  is  a  well-deserved  one;  and  as  you  made  the  journey 
to  Kimberley,  and  also,  as  I  hear,  have  followed  the  road 
down  from  Pretoria  through  Johannesburg  to  Bloemfontein, 
you  will  be  valuable  -for  other  purposes  besides  those  of  an 
interpreter,  and  I  consider  myself  fortunate  in  obtaining 
your  services.  Colonel  Chamberlain,  will  you  tell  Captain 
Watermeyer  that  I  wish  to  see  him?" 

On  the  arrival  of  that  officer  Lord  Roberts  said :  "  Captain 
Watermeyer, .  I  have  appointed  Lieutenant  Harberton  an 
extra  aide-de-camp.  He  speaks  Dutch  well,  and  you  will,  I 
am  sure,  find  him  of  great  assistance  when  you  have  to 
question  prisoners  or  other  Dutch  who  may  be  brought  into 
camp.  When  not  required  for  such  work  he  will  perform 
the  usual  duties  of  an  aide-de-camp.  Will  you  kindly  intro- 
duce him  to  the  other  members  of  my  staff,  and  request 
Colonel  Pretyman  to  arrange  for  his  tenting  and  other  ac- 
commodation? I  hear,  by  the  way,  Mr.  Harberton,  that  you 
have  a  Dutch  servant  who  has  proved  himself  a  most  faith- 
ful and  valuable  man,  and  also  a  Kaffir  groom  who  went  with 
you  into  Kimberley,  and  aided  in  effecting  your  escape  from 
Pretoria.  You  will,  of  course,  bring  them  with  you  in  the 
same  capacity  here." 

Lord  Methuen  was  entering  the  tent  as  Yorke  went  out, 
and  the  latter  thanked  him  warmly  for  his  kindness  in  recom- 
mending him  to  the  commander-in-chief. 

"  It  is  to  General  Pole-Carew  that  you  are  chiefly  in- 
debted," the  general  said ;  "  he  has  seen  much  more  of  you 
than  I  have.  I  heard  from  him  the  full  story  of  your  ad- 
ventures, and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  me  to  report  your  conduct 


WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

to  Lord  Koberts.  Pole-Carew  told  me  that  he  was  sorry  lie 
could  not  have  your  services  in  future — first,  as  his  staff  is 
complete,  and  in  the  second  place,  as  he  will  remain  here  with 
his  brigade,  with  the  force  under  my  command." 

Torke  then  went  off  with  Captain  Watermeyer.  "  I  re- 
member your  face  well,  Mr.  Harberton,"  the  latter  said ;  "  I 
know  Major  Mackintosh,  who  obtained  a  commission  for  you 
in  his  corps.  I  was  not  a  member  of  it,  for  I  was  in  the 
Cape  Town  Highlanders.  I  saw  you  several  times  at  the 
hotel  where  you  were  then  stopping." 

"I  remember  you  perfectly  now,  sir;  but  the  khaki  and 
helmet  make  such  a  difference  that  until  you  spoke  I  did  not 
recognize  you." 

"  Well,  we  have  both  got  on  since  then ;  it  had  certainly 
never  occurred  to  either  of  us  that  we  should  both  be  here  as 
members  of  the  commander-in-chief's  staff." 

"  No,  indeed,"  Yorke  replied,  "  nothing  could  have  been 
more  unlikely — at  any  rate,  as  far  as  I  was  concerned." 

"  Well,  as  for  the  tenting,  you  may  as  well  share  mine,  as 
I  am  alone  at  present  and  shall  be  glad  of  company." 

Matters  were  quickly  arranged  with  Colonel  Pretyman,  the 
head-quarters  commandant.  Captain  Watermeyer's  offer 
obviated  all  difficulty  with  regard  to  tentage,  and  Yorke 
would,  of  course,  mess  with  other  officers  of  the  staff. 

"  I  am  afraid,  Mr.  Harberton,"  the  officer  said,  "  that  you 
will  not  draw  any  extra  pay  as  assistant  aide-de-camp, 
though,  possibly,  with  the  addition  of  the  word  '  interpreter ' 
in  general  orders,  an  allowance  will  be  obtainable." 

"  That  is  a  matter  of  comparative  indifference  to  me,  I 
have  resources  of  my  own  that  will  enable  me  for  at  least 
some  time  to  defray  the  extra  expenses  of  the  mess." 

"  That  will  not  be  very  heavy,"  Colonel  Pretyman  said  with 
a  smile ;  "  certainly  as  long  as  we  are  on  the  march  you  will 
find  but  few  luxuries,  though,  when  we  are  in  towns,  we 
indulge  a  little.  As  a  whole,  I  should  say  that  we  live  no 
better  than  the  infantry  messes,  certainly  not  so  well  as  the 


THE  BELIEF  OF  KIMBEELET  309 

cavalry  do  now,  though  they  too  will  have  to  leave  the  best 
part  of  their  stores  behind  them  when  we  once  move." 

"  And  about  my  servant,  sir,  who  is  now  a  trooper  in  my 
regiment  ?  " 

"  He  will  draw  rations  and  mess  with  the  orderlies.  There 
will  be  no  difficulty  about  your  Kaffir  groom,  several  of  us 
have  Cape  boys  in  the  same  capacity,  and  of  course,  he  will 
go  in  with  them." 

As  two  or  three  officers  had  come  in  while  they  were  talk- 
ing, Yorke,  knowing  how  busy  the  colonel  was,  at  once  left 
and  rode  back  to  the  camp  of  the  Lancers,  and  after  getting 
his  things  together  returned  to  the  head-quarter  camp  with 
Hans  and  Peter.  On  the  following1  morning  Lord  Koberts 
and  his  staff  moved  to  Ramdam,  while  the  cavalry  went  on  to 
the  Riet  River,  easily  drove  off  small  parties  of  Boers  at 
two  drifts,  and  reconnoitred  beyond  it.  General  Tucker's 
troops  moved  forward  to  one  of  the  drifts,  and  their  place 
at  Ramdam  was  taken  by  Kelly-Kenny's  division. 

"  You  will  go  on  with  the  cavalry  to-morrow  morning,  Mr. 
Harberton,"  the  deputy  adjutant-general,  said  to  Yorke  on 
the  evening  of  their  arrival  at  head-quarters  at  Ramdam. 
"  They  will  push  on  ahead,  and  it  is  eminently  important 
that  the  general  should  be  informed  of  the  progress  they 
have  made.  The  other  aides-de-camp  will  be  fully  occupied 
in  seeing  that  the  movements  of  the  infantry  columns  are 
proceeding  without  a  hitch.  The  cavalry  will  push  on  to  the 
Modder  River  to-morrow  and  seize  one  of  the  drifts.  It  is 
intended  to  reinforce  them  early  the  next  morning,  and  they 
will  then  push  on  for  Kimberley.  You  will  remain  with 
them  until  they  have  passed  the  point  at  which  they  are 
likely  to  meet  with  any  serious  opposition.  Immediately  they 
have  done  so  you  will  bring  the  news  to  head-quarters,  which 
will  probably  have  then  arrived  at  Jacobsdal,  as  the  move- 
ments of  the  troops  must  be  largely  influenced  by  the  success 
or  failure  of  the  cavalry  expedition." 

«  Very  well,  sir." 


310  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Just  before  Yorke  was  about  to  leave  the  mess-room  lie  was 
summoned  to  Lord  Roberts's  tent. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Harberton,  I  only  sent  for  you  to  tell  you  that 
I  am  going  to  ride  myself  to-morrow  morning  to  see  the 
cavalry  make  their  start.  I  shall  mount  at  five  o'clock.  You 
will  ride  with  me." 

It  was  a  splendid  sight  when  the  commander-in-chief  rode 
across  Dekiel's  Drift.  There  were  gathered  some  five  thou- 
sand horsemen,  consisting  of  the  Carbineers,  the  New  South 
Wales  Lancers,  the  Inniskillings,  the  regiment  of  Household 
Cavalry,  the  10th  Hussars,  the  9th,  12th,  and  16th  Lancers, 
the  Scots  Grey,  Rimington's  Guides,  two  brigades  of  mounted 
infantry,  seven  batteries  of  artillery,  and  the  pontoon  train 
of  Royal  Engineers.  Although  the  whole  had  not  passed  the 
river  until  midnight  they  were  all  ready  for  the  start,  and 
the  appearance  of  the  commander-in-chief  excited  the  great- 
est enthusiasm  among  them. 

No  time  was  lost  in  a  formal  inspection.  After  a  few 
words  with  General  French,  who,  hearing  that  Yorke  was  to 
accompany  them,  begged  him  to  ride  with  him,  Lord  Roberts 
drew  back  and  watched  the  great  column  of  horse  sweep  past 
him,  acknowledging  the  salutes  of  men  and  officers,  and 
waving  his  hand  in  encouragement  and  farewell.  The  troops 
had  every  confidence  in  their  commander,  who  had  already 
given  them  sterling  proofs  of  his  ability.  Had  his  advice 
been  followed  by  General  White  at  Ladysmith,  four  regi- 
ments of  British  cavalry  would  have  been  added  to  Buller's 
force,  and  would  have  gone  far  to  protect  Natal  from  Boer 
marauders,  instead  of  remaining  pent  up  in  the  besieged 
town  until  their  horses  were  either  dead  or  unfit  for  service. 
Recalled  to  take  charge  of  the  cavalry  in  the  west,  and  to 
arrest  the  Boer  advance  into  Cape  Colony,  he  had  effectually 
checked  their  progress,  defeated  them  near  Colesberg,  and 
had  by  his  activity  confined  them  within  a  comparatively 
small  district.  Now  he  was  leading  them  on  the  expedition 
with  which  his  name  will  ever  be  associated. 


THE  BELIEF  OF  KIMBEBLEY  311 

It  was  a  long  march  of  thirty  miles;  the  sun  blazed  down 
pitilessly,  and  there  would  be  no  water  until  they  reached  the 
Modder  Eiver.  The  general's  staff  was  fully  occupied  in 
riding  up  and  down  the  line  seeing  that  all  went  well.  The 
general  kept  Yorke  by  him  throughout  the  march.  He  began 
the  conversation  by  saying :  "  Lord  Eoberts  tells  me  that  you 
have  already  been  into  Kimberley  and  out  again,  and  that 
you  have  been  prisoner  at  Pretoria  and  have  escaped.  Let 
me  hear  about  the  Kimberley  business  first,  it  will  pass  the 
time  away,  if  you  do  not  mind." 

Yorke  was  glad  to  remain  at  the  head  of  the  column  with 
the  general,  for  the  dust  raised  as  squadron  followed  squadron 
was  stifling. 

"  You  have  certainly  had  your  full  share  of  adventures, 
Mr.  Harberton,"  the  general  said,  when  he  had  by  close  ques- 
tioning extracted  a  pretty  full  account  of  his  adventures 
from  him.  "Now,  from  what  you  have  seen  of  the  Boers, 
do  you  think  that  their  resistance  is  likely  to  be  an  obstinate 
one?" 

"  I  must  say  that  I  think  so.  Owing  to  the  lies  circulated 
by  the  Africander  Bond,  and  by  Kruger  and  the  authorities 
at  Pretoria,  they  have  come  to  entertain  a  deep  and  passion-. 
ate  hatred  of  us,  and  although  I  feel  sure  that  they  will 
not  be  able  to  stand  against  us  in  open  fight,  I  believe  that 
they  will  maintain  a  desperate  resistance  of  a  guerrilla  kind 
for  a  long  time.  They  believe  firmly  that  half  the  powers 
of  Europe  are  coming  to  their  assistance,  and  that  in  the 
long  run  England  will  be  obliged  to  evacuate  the  Cape  alto- 
gether. They  have  even  been  told  that  Russia,  and  France, 
and  Germany  have  already  declared  war  against  us,  and  cer- 
tainly no  word  of  the  truth  will  ever  be  allowed  to  be  pub- 
lished among  them.  In  an  irregular  war  they  would  have  an 
immense  advantage  in  the  great  extent  of  the  country,  and 
the  long  lines  of  railway  by  which  our  communications  would 
be  kept  up,  and  by  the  fact  that  they  will  be  well  informed 
of  everything  that  we  are  doing  by  their  friends,  while  we 


312  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

shall  be  entirely  in  the  dark  as  to  their  movements.  Lastly, 
their  hopes  will  be  sustained  by  their  absolute  conviction 
that  the  Dutch  throughout  the  whole  of  Cape  Colony  will 
join  them.  From  what  I  saw  at  the  farm  near  Eichmond, 
I  should  say  that  this  view  would  be  justified  if  they  should 
gain  but  a  single  success  that  would  give  them  encourage- 
ment. The  fall  either  at  Ladysmith,  or  Kimberley,  or  even 
Mafeking  would,  I  think,  be  followed  by  a  great  rising." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  you  are  right,  Mr.  Harberton.  Certainly 
I  found  the  Dutch  population  in  the  Colesberg  and  Storm- 
berg  district  disloyal  almost  to  a  man,  although  individually 
none  of  them  had  any  complaint  to  make  against  us.  And, 
indeed,  with  an  Africander  parliament  passing  what  laws 
they  choose,  and  an  absolute  equality  in  all  respects  with 
the  British  colonists,  it  is  hard  to  see  what  they  could 
possibly  gain  by  our  expulsion  from  South  Africa." 

From  time  to  time  small  parties  of  mounted  Boers  could 
be  seen  in  the  distance,  and  solitary  scouts  on  the  hills  that 
skirted  the  plain  over  which  they  were  travelling.  Occasion- 
ally shots  were  fired  from  distant  hills,  but  to  these  the 
column  paid  no  attention.  Herds  of  deer  were  seen  gallop- 
ing across  the  plain,  scared  at  the  great  moving  dust-cloud. 
The  column  was  in  open  order.  The  regiments  moved  two 
abreast  with  the  9th  Lancers  ahead.  The  heat  was  trying 
indeed  to  the  horsemen,  but  more  so  to  the  horses.  Several 
of  the  artillery  animals  dropped  dead,  and  all  were  terribly 
exhausted  by  the  time  that  the  willows  fringing  the  Modder 
were  seen  ahead.  Major  Rimington  who  acted  as  guide, 
performed  that  duty  well,  and  brought  the  column  to  the 
exact  point  at  which  he  had  aimed — the  Klip  Drift.  Fortu- 
nately the  Boer  force  stationed  here  was  but  a  small  one, 
and  on  seeing  the  great  force  approaching  they  abandoned 
their  tents  and  waggons  and  fled  hastily. 

Now  was  seen  the  advantage  that  had  been  gained  by  the 
demonstration  at  Koodoosberg.  The  fear  of  being  outflanked 
in  that  direction  had  caused  the  Boers  to  gather  there^  and 


THE  BELIEF  OF  KIMBEBLEY  313 

they  had  little  thought  of  the  assault  being  delivered  fifty 
miles  away  on  their  extreme  left.  Had  they  had  the  time 
and  the  knowledge,  a  few  hundred  men  with  guns  could  have 
made  so  desperate  a  resistance  that  help  might  have  come 
up  before  our  force  was  established  on  the  north  bank.  As 
it  was  they  had  passed  across  without  a  shot  being  fired. 
The  horses  drank  their  fill,  the  men  bathed  in  the  river,  and 
by  nightfall  all  were  ready  for  action.  A  halt  had  to  be 
made  the  next  day  to  enable  Kelly-Kenny  to  come  up  with 
his  division,  and  at  five  o'clock  the  following  morning  this 
arrived,  the  men  having  made  a  tremendous  night  march  to 
cross  the  veldt.  At  eight  o'clock  the  cavalry  prepared  for  a 
final  advance. 

The  Boers  had  utilized  the  time  that  the  halt  had  allowed 
them,  and  during  the  preceding  day  considerable  numbers 
had  arrived  and  taken  up  a  position  on  hills  some  four  miles 
from  the  river.  The  distance  from  Klip  Drift  to  Kimberley 
was  forty  miles,  a  distance  that  might,  under  other  circum- 
stances, have  been  traversed  without  much  difficulty,  but  the 
horses  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  fatigue  of  their  pre- 
vious marches,  and  the  heat  of  the  sun  was  again  terrible. 
However,  the  goal  was  Kimberley,  and  they  believed,  with 
reason,  that  once  past  the  new  position  occupied  by  the  Boers, 
they  would  meet  with  no  further  resistance,  as  they  would 
pass  far  to  the  east  of  the  Magersfontein  position,  from 
which  Cronje  could  not  afford  to  send  a  large  force  while 
Methuen  was  facing  him  on  the  Modder. 

The  Boer  position  was  upon  two  hills  connected  by  a  long, 
low  neck,  and  as  the  force  approached,  a  brisk  fire  of  mus- 
ketry, aided  by  some  light  guns,  burst  out. 

A  short  halt  was  made,  and  the  guns  of  the  batteries  that 
were  not  going  on  unlimbered  and  opened  a  heavy  fire  on 
the  hills.  As  soon  as  this  began  to  take  effect  the  cavalry 
continued  their  advance,  and  in  open  order  swept  forward 
over  the  low  neck  regardless  of  the  fire  from  the  hills.  A 
few  men  and  horses  dropped,  but  without  drawing  rein 


314  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

squadron  after  squadron  swept  along,  and  then  at  a  more 
leisurely  pace  continued  their  journey.  The  rate  of  travel 
soon  became  slow,  many  of  the  troopers  dismounted  and 
walked  by  the  side  of  their  horses,  some  even  carrying  on 
their  shoulders  their  valises  in  order  to  relieve  the  exhausted 
animals.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  before,  without  meet- 
ing another  foe,  they  entered  Kimberley  amid  the  enthusi- 
asm of  the  population. 

Yorke  had  ridden  with  the  cavalry  until  they  crossed  the 
neck,  and  then  turned  his  horse  and  galloped  back  to  the 
Klip  Drift  with  the  news  that  the  obstacles  had  been  passed. 
Crossing  the  river,  he  rode  for  Jacobsdal.  He  heard  firing 
as  he  approached  the  town,  and  when  he  arrived  there,  found 
that  the  place  had  been  captured  by  Wavell's  Brigade  of  the 
7th  Division,  which  had  already  joined  Kelly-Kenny's  at  the 
Klip  Drift.  Learning  that  General  Roberts  would  not  ar- 
rive until  the  following  morning,  he  started  south  and  met 
the  division  with  head-quarters  on  the  way,  and  reported 
that  the  cavalry  had  already  ridden  through  the  Boer  posi- 
tion and  was  on  its  way  to  Kimberley. 

"By  this  time  they  will  be  there,  then,"  Roberts  said. 
"  How  were  their  horses  ? " 

"  I  am  afraid  a  great  many  will  be  lost  before  they  reach 
Kimberley,  air.  Owing  to  the  heat  yesterday,  they  had  not 
time  to  recover  from  their  previous  marches." 

"  You  have  done  very  well  to  bring  me  the  news  so 
speedily,"  the  general  said.  "I  expected  to  find  you  at 
Jacobsdal  to-morrow,  but  I  hardly  hoped  that  you  would 
have  reached  me  this  evening.  You  have  had  as  long  a 
ride  as  French." 

The  next  morning  the  head-quarters  reached  Jacobsdal, 
and  here  received  the  news  that  one  of  the  convoys  of  wag- 
gons had  been  attacked  by  the  Boers  at  Waterval  Drift,  but 
were  defending  themselves.  A  battery  of  artillery  with 
mounted  infantry  were  sent  off  at  once  to  their  assistance, 
and  with  this  aid  the  Boers  were  driven  off.  The  native 


THE  BELIEF  OP  KIMBEBLEY  315 

drivers  of  the  waggons,  however,  had  deserted  during  the 
fight ;  and  as  Lord  Koberts  had  received  news  that  Cronje  and 
his  whole  force  had  left  Magersfontein,  he  ordered  the  wag- 
gons to  be  abandoned,  as  everything  depended  upon  speed 
to  carry  out  successfully  the  operation  upon  which  he  was 
bent,  namely,  to  cut  off  Cronje's  retreat  to  Bloemfontein. 

Cronje  had  sent  a  portion  of  his  force  with  the  greater 
part  of  his  guns  north.  A  good  many  of  the  Orange  Free 
State  men  had  deserted  and  gone  back  to  their  farms,  but 
with  the  rest  of  his  guns,  six  thousand  mounted  men,  and 
a  huge  train  of  waggons,  he  had  hurried  along  through  the 
interval  between  French's  horse  and  the  force  at  Klip  Drift. 
The  vedettes  of  that  force  saw  a  huge  cloud  of  dust  in  the 
distance  and  carried  the  news  to  Lord  Kitchener,  who  as- 
sumed the  general  command.  That  energetic  commander  at 
once  despatched  his  mounted  infantry  in  pursuit,  and  sent 
Knox's  Brigade  along  the  northern  bank  of  the  river  to 
harass  the  right  flank  of  the  flying  Boers,  and  to  bring  them 
to  action  if  possible. 

There  were  three  drifts  by  which  Cronje  could  cross  the 
river  on  his  way  to  Bloemfontein,  and  unless  all  these  were 
held  he  might  get  across.  He  knew  this  as  well  as  his  pur- 
suers, and  all  day  kept  back  the  pursuit  of  Knox  and  the 
mounted  infantry  by  occupying  every  hill  and  kopje  with 
a  strong  rear-guard,  which  had  to  be  attacked  and  driven 
off,  only  to  take  up  a  position  farther  on.  But  with  night 
approaching  even  Cronje  felt  that  there  must  be  a  halt.  He 
had  marched  twenty-four  hours;  the  horses  and  the  animals 
of  the  baggage  waggons  were  alike  utterly  worn  out;  and, 
ignorant  of  the  force  that  was  pressing  forward  on  the  south 
bank,  he  believed  that  he  would  next  morning  be  able  to 
cross  the  river. 

But  he  had  not  reckoned  on  the  energy  of  the  British 
commanders  and  on  the  endurance  of  their  men.  The 
mounted  infantry  had,  when  the  fighting  ceased,  galloped 
back  to  Klip  Drift,  crossed  there,  and,  keeping  along  on  the 


316  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

south  side,  seized  the  drift  at  Klip  Kraal.  Thither  came 
Stevenson's  Brigade;  Colvile's  Division,  and  the  mounted 
infantry  on  their  arrival  went  forward  again  and  seized 
Paardeberg.  Cronje  moved  early  in  the  morning,  and  Knox 
marched  along  the  northern  bank  to  Klip  Kraal.  Cronje's 
scouts  soon  learned  that  the  two  drifts  were  in  our  posses- 
sion, and  made  for  the  third,  named  Koodoosrand.  But  the 
exhausted  animals  were  only  equal  to  a  short  march,  and 
Cronje,  feeling  confident  that  this  drift  was  open  to  him, 
again  halted  before  he  reached  it. 

The  delay  was  fatal  to  him.  Kitchener,  as  soon  as  he 
learned  that  Cronje  was  flying,  had  sent  word  to  French, 
ordering  him  to  move  with  all  speed  to  endeavour  to  cut  off 
the  Boer  retreat.  The  message  arrived  in  the  afternoon. 
The  cavalry,  in  spite  of  the  fatigue  of  the  night  before, 
had  all  been  out  with  the  town  force  endeavouring  to  drive 
the  Boers  from  a  strong  position  they  held  at  Dronfield. 
The  Boers,  however,  had  stuck  to  it  tenaciously,  for  by  their 
occupation  of  the  post  they  were  enabling  the  force  from 
Magersfontein  with  the  guns  to  move  round  Kimberley  and 
make  for  the  north.  They  were,  late  in  the  afternoon,  how- 
ever, shelled  out  of  their  positions,  and  the  weary  troops  re- 
turned to  the  town  just  as  the  messenger  from  Lord  Kitch- 
ener arrived. 

Not  a  moment's  time  was  lost.  An  inspection  of  the  horses 
was  ordered,  and  it  was  found  that  of  the  five  thousand  that 
started  from  Klip  Drift  the  morning  before,  two  thousand 
at  the  utmost  were  in  any  way  fit  for  further  work.  With 
this  force,  then,  French  started,  after  allowing  a  few  hours' 
rest,  before  the  long  night  ride.  Utterly  weary  as  the  men 
were,  they  were  inspired  with  fresh  energy  when  they  learned 
that  they  were  going  to  cut  off  the  retreat  of  Cronje.  All 
through  the  night  the  march  continued.  Many  horses  fell 
dead,  but  there  was  no  pause  in  the  advance.  The  stars  were 
shining  brilliantly.  Cronje's  exact  position  was  not  known, 
and  could  only  be  guessed  at,  and  Rimington,  acting  aa 


THE  EELIEF  OF  KIMBERLEY  317 

guide,  aimed  for  the  Koodoosrand  Drift.  Morning  found 
them  still  some  distance  away,  for  they  had  travelled  slowly, 
most  of  the  men  marching  all  night  in  order  to  relieve  their 
horses.  An  hour's  halt,  and  then  they  moved  on  again.  It 
was  a  terrible  race,  but  it  was  won.  About  mid-day  they 
reached  Koodoosrand  Drift  just  as  Cronje's  advance  guard 
were  arriving  on  the  top  of  the  hills  commanding  it.  The 
wearied  horses  were  allowed  a  drink,  and  were  then  led  away 
to  a  point  where  a  dip  would  shelter  them  from  rifle-fire, 
and  the  men  took  up  their  station  to  dispute  the  passage  to 
the  last. 

It  was  plain  that  with  these  two  thousand  determined  men 
the  passage  could  not  be  forced,  and  Cronje's  scouts  brought 
him  the  news  that  the  passage  to  Bloemfontein  was  barred. 
It  was  still  open  to  him  to  abandon  the  waggons  and  guns 
and  to  ride  north,  but,  believing  that  reinforcements  would 
assuredly  be  sent  to  him,  Cronje  determined  upon  fighting. 
He  had  already  abandoned  seventy-four  waggons,  whose 
oxen  could  no  longer  draw  them,  at  his  last  halting-place, 
and  he  now  turned  and  marched  to  a  flat  plain  between 
Paardeberg  Drift  and  another  lower  down  the  river,  still 
hoping  to  force  his  way  across.  It  was  only  at  the  drifts 
that  the  passage  was  possible;  the  banks  were  high,  and 
stood  like  walls  on  either  side.  Men  on  foot  might  have 
made  their  way  down  to  the  water,  and  might  have  climbed 
up  the  other  side,  but  for  mounted  men,  and  still  more  for 
waggons,  the  river  was  absolutely  impassable  save  at  the 
drifts. 

On  all  sides  foes  were  gathering  closely.  The  British  in- 
fantry had  accomplished  marvellous  marches.  The  Highland 
Brigade  had  marched  from  Jacobsdal  to  Klip  Drift  over  soft 
sand,  but,  exhausted  as  they  were,  when  called  upon  to  con- 
tinue their  journey  another  twelve  miles,  no  murmur  was 
heard.  They  had  a  terrible  disaster  to  retrieve,  and  their 
longing  to  be  engaged  with  the  men  who  had  mowed  them 
down  in  the  dark  nerved  them  to  further  exertion.  Behind 


318  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

them  came  Smith-Dorrien's  Brigade,  a  splendid  body  of 
troops,  the  Shropshires,  Cornwalls,  and  Canadians.  These 
pushed  across  the  river  and  took  up  their  position  on  the 
north  bank;  Kelly-Kenny's  Division  was  also  there,  and  by 
morning  Cronje  had  no  longer  the  option  of  escape.  He  was 
fairly  trapped.  His  position  was,  however,  a  strong  one. 
The  bushes  along  the  river  bank  provided  excellent  cover  for 
riflemen;  while  to  the  west,  north,  and  east  he  was  sur- 
rounded by  a  level  plain  some  fifteen  hundred  yards  in  width, 
upon  which  the  enemy  would  be  exposed  to  a  terrible  fire 
from  his  men  in  and  under  the  waggons  that  formed  the 
laager. 


CHAPTEE  XVHI 


HAD  Lord  Kitchener  witnessed  the  battles  of  the  Modder 
and  Magersfontein,  it  is  morally  certain  that  he  would 
not  have  attacked  Cronje  in  his  lair.  But  hitherto  he  had 
been  engaged  only  with  barbarous  tribes,  who,  although  mag- 
nificently brave,  were  either  altogether  without  firearms,  or 
were  armed  only  with  muskets  of  obsolete  pattern.  He  was 
unable  to  form  an  idea  of  the  tremendous  effect  of  such 
rifles  as  those  in  the  hands  of  the  Boers,  a  race  of  marks- 
men. Nothing  could  have  been  gained  by  such  an  attack, 
even  if  successful,  as  the  Boers  must  sooner  or  later  have 
surrendered.  Escape  was  impossible,  and  the  troops  could 
be  trusted  to  give  a  good  account  of  any  force  advancing  to 
aid  Cronje.  Doubtless  he  was  to  some  extent  influenced  by 
the  burning  desire  on  the  part  of  his  men  and  officers — who, 
with  the  exception  of  those  of  the  Highland  Brigade,  had 
not  as  yet  been  engaged  with  the  Boers — to  get  at  the 
enemy. 

However,  on  the  following  morning  Knox's,  Stevenson's, 


PAABDEBEBG  319 

Smith-Dorrien's,  and  the  Highland  Brigades  all  advanced 
against  the  position.  When  within  a  thousand  yards,  a 
semicircle  of  fire  flashed  out  from  the  waggons,  as  it  had 
done  from  the  bushes  on  the  Modder.  The  effect  was  terrible, 
and  men  went  down  by  the  score  before  the  hail  of  bullets, 
and  the  troops  were  forced,  as  the  Guards  had  been  on  the 
Modder,  to  throw  themselves  down  before  it.  It  would  have 
been  well  if,  as  on  that  occasion,  the  impossibility  of  success 
had  been  recognized,  and  the  troops  had  been  ordered  to  re- 
main in  the  same  position  throughout  the  day,  contenting 
themselves  with  returning  the  Boer  fire.  But  no  such  order 
was  given,  and  companies  got  up  and  made  short  rushes, 
each  regiment  burning  to  be  the  first  to  enter  the  Boer  camp. 
Some  little  relief  was  afforded  by  four  batteries  of  artillery, 
which  kept  up  an  incessant  shell  fire,  distracting  the  Boers' 
attention,  preventing  their  taking  aim,  and  shaking  their 
nerve. 

At  twelve  o'clock  one  of  French's  horse-artillery  batteries 
came  up  and  joined  the  others  at  the  work.  Splendid  were 
the  efforts  made  by  many  of  the  regiments  to  get  to  close 
quarters.  The  Canadians  and  Cornwalls — Smith-Dorrien's 
Brigade — on  the  one  side  swept  almost  up  to  the  river  bank, 
and  the  Welsh,  Yorkshire,  and  Essex  regiments  did  as  well 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  semicircle,  both  forcing  the  Boers 
to  contract  their  lines,  and  limiting  the  space  occupied  by 
them. 

The  Highlanders  did  magnificently,  burning  to  retrieve 
their  defeat  at  Magersfontein,  and  showed  that  they  had 
entirely  recovered  from  the  effects  of  that  disaster.  Their 
conduct  was  all  the  more  worthy  of  admiration,  inasmuch 
as  they  had  marched  over  thirty  miles,  and  only  arrived  on 
the  scene  just  as  the  advance  began.  From  the  south  side 
of  the  river  a  heavy  rifle  fire  was  maintained  by  the  troops 
on  that  bank;  and  it  is  probable  that  some,  at  least,  among 
the  casualties  on  our  side  were  inflicted  by  their  bullets, 
which  passed  over  the  Boer  camp.  All  day  the  fight  con- 


320  WITH  ROBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

tinued,  and  all  that  had  been  effected  was  to  contract  the 
Boer  position  along  the  river  bank  from  three  miles  to 
barely  two.  When  evening  fell,  our  troops  were  still  in  the 
positions  they  had  won  during  the  day.  But  the  cost  was 
out  of  all  proportion  to  the  advantage  gained.  They  had 
suffered  eleven  hundred  casualties.  The  Seaforths  headed 
the  list  with  one  hundred  and  twenty,  the  Black  Watch  came 
next  with  ninety-six;  ninety  Yorkshires,  the  same  number 
of  West  Biding  Eegiment,  eighty  among  the  Canadians, 
seventy-six  Argyle  and  Sutherlands,  fifty-six  of  the  Corn- 
walls,  forty-six  of  the  Shropshires,  and  thirty-one  of  the 
Oxfordshires,  showed  how  every  regiment  had  taken  its 
share  in  the  fighting. 

On  the  following  day  Cronje  asked  for  twenty-four  hours' 
armistice  to  enable  him  to  bury  his  dead.  Lord  Kitchener 
assented,  but  as  the  morning  wore  on  Lord  Eoberts  arrived 
with  Tucker's  Division  from  Jacobsdal,  and  with  three  more 
field-batteries,  and  five  naval  guns.  The  Commander-in- 
Chief  disapproved  altogether  of  the  armistice,  which  was 
evidently  a  mere  pretext  to  gain  time;  and  he  accordingly 
sent  word  to  Cronje  that  the  armistice  was  at  an  end,  but 
that  any  women  and  children  in  the  laager  might  come  out, 
and  would  receive  good  treatment.  This  offer  was  declined 
by  Cronje.  His  refusal  was  the  signal  for  the  guns  to  open, 
and  all  day  a  hail  of  fire  was  poured  into  the  Boer  laager. 
Smith-Dorrien's  Brigade  was  left  on  the  ground  that  it  had 
won,  near  the  river-bank  to  the  west;  while  one  of  Tucker's 
Brigades,  commanded  by  Chermside,  occupied  the  same  posi- 
tion to  the  east.  The  remainder  of  the  troops  were  drawn 
off  and  posted  so  as  to  prevent  any  portion  of  the  beleaguered 
host  from  making  their  escape. 

De  Wet,  with  the  force  that  had  attacked  and  finally  cap- 
tured the  train  of  waggons  at  Waterval  Drift,  had  come 
round  and  surprised  and  captured  a  party  of  thirty  men  and 
four  officers  of  Kitchener's  Horse,  who  were  posted  on  a 
kopje  two  miles  away  from  the  laager.  The  loss  of  this 


PAARDEBERG  321 

position  was  serious,  because  it  opened  the  road  to  any  Boer 
force  marching  to  relieve  Cronje.  That  such  a  force  was 
approaching  was  known.  Cronje  had,  when  he  found  the 
passage  at  Koodoosrand  blocked,  flashed  signals  asking  for 
aid,  and  not  only  would  the  local  forces  answer  the  appeal, 
but  these  would  be  largely  reinforced  by  Orange  Free  State 
commandos  coming  with  all  haste  from  Natal  by  rail.  Ac- 
cordingly, five  regiments  of  cavalry  with  four  batteries  were 
sent  against  the  kopje,  the  force  being  divided  into  two 
parties  of  equal  strength,  and  passing  one  on  each  side  of 
the  hill.  A  force  of  Boers  they  encountered  were  easily 
defeated,  while  the  artillery  drove  off  the  defenders  of  the 
kopje,  of  whom  some  fifty  were  killed  and  as  many  taken 
prisoners. 

Two  days  later  another  party  approached.  They  attacked 
a  kopje  held  by  the  Yorkshires  but  failed  to  capture  it,  and 
then  tried  to  carry  another  hill  held  by  the  Buffs  and  were 
again  defeated.  In  all  eighty  were  taken  prisoners.  Every 
night  Boers  crept  out  from  their  laager  and  gave  themselves 
up  as  prisoners,  and  by  the  end  of  the  week  we  had  six 
hundred  captives.  All  this  time  the  guns  had  thundered 
almost  without  cessation.  From  a  balloon  overhead  signals 
were  made  as  to  the  point  at  which  the  fire  should  be  di- 
rected. Nothing  could  withstand  this  hail  of  iron.  Scores 
of  waggons  were  smashed  up,  oxen  and  horses  killed  by  the 
hundred,  but  few  Boers  were  visible.  Holes  and  tunnels  had 
been  driven  into  the  side  of  the  numerous  dongas  that  in- 
tersected the  laager.  Here  the  women  and  children  were 
sheltered,  and  here  the  men  crouched  in  readiness  to  sally 
out  and  defend  the  laager  if  again  attacked,  and  whenever 
our  outposts  were  pushed  forward,  the  fire  from  their 
trenches  was  as  heavy  as  ever. 

At  the  extremity  of  the  base  of  the  semicircle  Smith- 
Dorrien  and  Chermside's  men  had  been  steadily  pushing 
forward  trenches.  On  the  night  of  Monday,  February  26th, 
it  was  determined  that  the  former  should  make  an  advance. 

(M839)  V 


322  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

i 

THe  Canadians  were  to  lead  it,  the  Gordons  to  be  in  sup- 
port, and  the  Shropshires  to  move  to  the  left  to  protect  the 
force  from  any  attempt  of  the  Boers  to  take  them  in  flank. 
Two  companies  of  the  Canadians  led  the  advance.  The 
moon  had  not  yet  risen,  and  to  keep  their  position  each  man 
grasped  the  sleeve  of  the  man  next  to  him.  The  rear  rank 
carried  spades  and  had  their  rifles  slung  behind  them.  The 
7th  Company  of  the  Koyal  Engineers  followed  them  carry- 
ing sacks  full  of  earth.  The  distance  to  be  traversed  was 
eight  hundred  yards. 

Never  did  men  undertake  more  nervous  work,  for  at  any 
moment  they  might  be  swept  by  a  storm  of  bullets  such  as 
had  smitten  the  Highlanders  at  Magersfontein.  Not  a 
sound  was  heard  until  they  were  within  fifty  yards  of  the 
Boer  trenches,  and  then  the  front  rank  struck  against  a 
wire  on  which  empty  meat-cans  were  stretched.  A  rifle-shot 
was  fired  as  the  clang  rose,  and  the  Canadians  at  once  threw 
themselves  on  their  faces.  Scarcely  had  they  done  so  when 
a  roar  of  fire  from  a  line  six  hundred  yards  long  broke  out. 
To  move  forward  was  impossible;  the  moon  was  on  the  point 
of  rising,  and  its  light  would  enable  the  Boers  to  pick  them 
off  unerringly.  Accordingly  the  companies  out  on  the  plain 
were  ordered  to  fall  back  in  very  open  order,  and  this  was 
effected  with  a  comparatively  small  number  of  casualties. 

The  Canadians,  however,  now  felt  the  benefit  of  the  sacks 
of  earth  carried  by  the  Engineers  with  them.  These  sacks 
were  thrown  down  the  instant  the  first  shot  was  fired,  and 
behind  these  the  two  companies  of  Canadians  and  the  Engi- 
neers lay  in  comparative  shelter.  This  protection  was  soon 
increased  by  the  work  of  the  men  with  shovels,  and  before 
day  broke  they  were  firmly  established,  and  from  their  posi- 
tion were  able  to  open  a  flanking  fire  upon  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  Boer  trenches  on  that  side.  The  other  companies 
of  the  Canadians  had  similarly  entrenched  themselves  a 
short  distance  farther  back,  and  all  felt  that  the  end  of  the 
ten  days'  investment  was  close  at  hand.  The  Boers  also 


CRONJE   RIDES   OUT   TO   SURRENDER. 


saw  that  to  continue  the  struggle  would  result  in  their  en- 
tire destruction,  and  at  six  in  the  morning  a  white  flag  was 
raised  and  Cronje  himself  rode  out.  He  was  met  by  General 
Pretyman  and  conducted  by  him  to  the  headquarters  camp, 
where  he  met  Lord  Koberts,  who  shook  hands  with  him. 
Cronje  then  said  that  he  had  come  in  to  surrender.  The 
general  replied  that  the  surrender  must  be  unconditional. 
Cronje  felt  that  in  the  desperate  position  in  which  he  was 
placed  he  could  not  stand  out  for  any  conditions,  but  merely 
asked  that  his  wife,  grandson,  secretary,  and  adjutant  should, 
with  his  servants,  be  allowed  to  accompany  him.  This  was 
granted,  and  he  and  those  with  him  were  the  same  after- 
noon sent  down  with  the  other  prisoners,  about  four  thou- 
sand in  number,  under  a  strong  escort  to  the  railway,  by 
which  they  were  taken  down  to  Cape  Town. 

Only  a  hundred  and  fifty  wounded  were  found  in  the 
camp,  and,  taking  the  usual  proportion  of  killed  and 
wounded,  only  some  thirty  or  forty  could  have  fallen  victims 
to  the  tremendous  bombardment  to  which  they  had  been 
exposed  for  ten  days,  including  those  who  fell  during  the 
attack  on  the  18th.  The  aspect  of  the  prisoners  was  miser- 
able to  the  last  degree  as,  pallid,  unwashed,  unkempt,  and 
ragged,  they  staggered  up  from  the  holes  in  which  they  had 
been  lying,  worn  out  by  the  terrible  strain,  sickened  by  the 
horrible  odours  that  speedily  drove  back  the  soldiers  who 
entered  the  camp,  and  must  have  been  well-nigh  insupport- 
able even  to  nostrils  accustomed  to  insanitary  surroundings. 
Some  were  sullen  and  downcast,  but  among  the  majority  the 
predominant  feeling  was  evidently  one  of  satisfaction  at  the 
end  of  their  sufferings,  and  the  fact  that,  as  far  as  they 
were  concerned,  the  fighting  was  over. 

The  scene  in  the  camp  was  indeed  terrible.  Carcasses  of 
dead  animals  lay  everywhere,  the  greater  part,  owing  to  the 
heat  of  the  sun,  being  in  a  state  of  decomposition.  Waggons 
overturned,  and  sometimes  smashed  to  pieces  by  the  explo- 
sion of  our  shellsj  showed  the  destruction  modern  artillery 


324  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

can  effect  against  material  of  all  kinds,  though  it  is  com- 
paratively harmless  against  troops  when  not  in  solid 
formation. 

If  the  Boer  prisoners  had  expected — as  would  assuredly 
have  been  the  case  had  they  been  the  victors — that  the  van- 
quished would  be  received  with  exultation  and  triumphant 
jeers,  they  were  agreeably  surprised.  They  had  been  brought 
up  in  the  belief  that  the  British  soldier  was  at  once  con- 
temptible as  a  fighter  and  full  of  every  evil  quality.  They 
had  already  learned  that  he  could  fight;  now  they  learned 
that  he  was  a  generous  enemy,  and  that  his  imagined  hatred 
of  the  Boer  had  no  existence  whatever.  The  patient  endur- 
ance with  which  the  besieged  had  supported  the  tremendous 
fire  to  which  they  had  been  subjected,  had  filled  the  soldiers 
with  admiration  and  pity  for  men  forced  by  the  iron  will  of 
their  commander  to  maintain  a  resistance  when  there  was  no 
possibility  of  escape,  and  they  crowded  round  the  captives, 
offering  them  little  kindnesses,  helping  the  feeble,  giving 
them  tobacco  and  other  little  comforts  from  their  own  scanty 
stores,  carrying  the  children,  and  assisting  the  women.  There 
was  no  sign  of  exultation.  They  were  justly  proud  of  the 
success  they  had  gained,  but  no  show  of  this  feeling  was 
visible.  As  much  honour  was  due  to  the  British  soldier  for 
his  bearing  at  the  moment  of  victory  as  for  the  desperate 
courage  and  steadfast  endurance  he  had  displayed  in  trying 
to  achieve  it. 

Yorke  Harberton  had  been  kept  at  work  almost  night  and 
day  from  the  time  he  reached  Jacobsdal,  carrying  orders  to 
the  different  columns  and  bringing  back  news  of  their  posi- 
tion and  progress.  He  would  alternately  ride  his  own  horse 
and  that  which  Mr.  Chambers  had  given  him,  and  when  these 
required  rest  would  use  animals  captured  when  Jacobsdal 
was  taken.  Although  the  excitement  had  kept  him  up,  he 
was  completely  worn  out  when  he  arrived  at  headquarters 
at  Paardeberg.  The  other  aides-de-camp  were  in  a  similar 
position,  and  Lord  Koberts  with  his  usual  kindness  told 


PAABDEBEEG  325 

them  that  they  must  for  a  day  or  two  consider  themselves 
relieved  from  further  duty,  and  that  their  work  would  be 
carried  on  by  officers  drawn  from  the  cavalry.  In  spite  of 
the  thunder  of  the  guns  Yorke  slept  for  nearly  eighteen 
hours  without  waking,  then,  after  a  hearty  meal,  he  rode 
round  the  line  of  investment,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  exact 
position  of  the  various  regiments  and  brigades,  in  case  he 
should  have  to  carry  orders  to  them.  But  although  after 
two  days'  rest  he  returned  to  duty,  there  was  little  for  him 
to  do,  as  the  position  remained  unchanged  until  the  final 
advance  of  Smith-Dorrien's  men. 

The  joy  of  the  troops  at  the  capture  of  Cronje  and  his 
host — who  had  left  Magersfontein  six  thousand  strong,  and 
of  whom  only  one  thousand  who  had  slunk  away  to  their 
farms  retained  their  liberty — was  heightened  by  the  fact 
that  his  surrender  occurred  on  Majuba  Day.  This  feeling 
was  especially  strong  among  the  Colonial  troops,  who  had 
hitherto  been  obliged  to  put  up  with  the  triumphant  celebra- 
tions of  that  event  by  the  Boers.  This  feeling  was  still  fur- 
ther heightened  by  the  receipt  of  the  news  that  a  day  later 
Buller's  army  had  relieved  Ladysmith. 

Not  until  March  6th,  a  week  after  the  surrender,  was 
there  any  movement.  This  pause  had  been  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  rest  the  horses  of  the  cavalry,  which  had  been  half 
starved  as  well  as  terribly  overworked.  Accustomed  to  be 
fed  at  regular  hours,  these  were  unable  to  eke  out  the  scanty 
rations  served  to  them  by  cropping  the  dried-up  and  scanty 
grass  on  the  veldt,  and  even  at  the  end  of  the  week  were 
still  scarcely  fit  for  service.  Thus  no  effort  could  be  made 
to  disperse  the  large  force  consisting  of  local  levies,  com- 
mandos from  Colesberg  and  other  places  south  of  the  Orange 
River,  and  those  that  had  hurried  up  from  Natal,  now  all 
commanded  by  De  Wet. 

But  in  the  meantime  reinforcements  had  arrived — the 
Guards  from  Klip  Drift,  the  Australians  and  the  Burmese 
Mounted  Infantry,  a  detachment  of  horse  from  Ceylon,  the 


326  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETORIA 

Imperial  Yeomanry,  and  the  City  Imperial  Volunteers,  who 
had  distinguished  themselves  in  the  attack  on  Jacobsdal,  and 
were  for  all  purposes  of  such  warfare  the  equals  of  any  of 
the  line  regiments.  Indeed,  the  South  African  troops,  the 
contingents  from  our  colonies,  and  the  volunteer  companies 
which  came  out  attached  to  the  various  line  regiments, 
shattered  to  atoms  the  long-cherished  belief  of  military  men 
that  civilians  would  be  of  no  real  service  in  warfare.  In 
point  of  bravery,  readiness  to  submit  to  discipline,  and  of 
cheerful  endurance  of  fatigue  and  hardship,  they  proved 
themselves  equal  to  their  comrades  of  the  regular  army,  and 
showed  that  enemies  of  Britain  must  not,  in  making  an 
estimate  of  her  strength,  omit  from  consideration  the  militia 
and  volunteers,  the  mounted  corps  that  would  spring  into 
existence,  and  the  aid  of  her  great  colonies  in  case  of  need. 
The  position  taken  up  by  De  Wet  was  a  very  strong  one. 
In  its  centre  was  a  farmhouse  called  Poplars  Grove.  On 
both  flanks  rose  hills  connected  by  scattered  kopjes.  Guns 
were  placed  on  all  the  hills,  and  along  the  front  ran  trenches, 
rifle-pits,  and  barbed  wire;  and  a  direct  attack  would  prob- 
ably have  proved  at  least  as  costly  as  Magersfontein.  But 
Lord  Roberts  possessed  what  Lord  Methuen  had  not — three 
brigades  of  mounted  men  and  a  strong  force  of  horse-artil- 
lery'. He  had  a  number  of  guns  greatly  superior  in  weight 
of  metal  to  those  of  the  enemy,  and  an  army  of  over  thirty 
thousand  men.  But  even  with  such  a  force  he  was  not  a 
man  to  throw  away  a  single  life  unnecessarily,  and  therefore 
determined  to  turn  the  Boers'  position.  The  cavalry  were 
sent  off  before  morning  broke  on  March  7th  to  make  a  wide 
sweep,  and  come  down  upon  the  Boer  line  of  retreat. 
Tucker's  Division  were  to  follow  and  support  them.  Kelly- 
Kenny  was  to  push  straight  along  the  southern  bank  of  the 
river,  but  he  was  not  intended  to  attack  until  the  cavalry 
and  Tucker  were  in  their  appointed  places.  The  Highland 
Brigade  were  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  with  the  Naval 
Brigade,  and  these  were  to  make  a  turning  movement. 


PAABDEBEBG  327 

Had  the  plan  been  carried  out  as  intended,  the  whole  of 
the  Boer  force  would  probably  have  been  annihilated  and 
captured,  and  the  war  might  have  come  to  an  abrupt  end, 
for  both  Kruger  and  Steyn  were  with  De  Wet,  and  with  the 
capture  of  the  two  originators  of  the  war,  all  further  resist- 
ance might  have  ceased  at  once.  But  for  once  in  his  bril- 
liant career  French  failed.  Thus,  instead  of  sweeping  quite 
clear  of  the  Boer  line,  he  ran  against  the  extreme  left  of 
their  position.  Daylight  broke  before  the  cavalry  were  per- 
ceived, and  the  instant  the  Boer  leaders  saw  that  they  were 
in  danger  of  being  outflanked,  and  their  retreat  cut  off,  they 
abandoned  the  position  they  had  so  laboriously  fortified  and 
retired  hastily.  But  there  was  still  ample  time  for  the  cav- 
alry to  have  overtaken  the  guns  and  waggons,  even  if  they 
could  not  have  caught  the  flying  horsemen.  They  allowed 
themselves,  however,  to  be  held  in  check  by  a  handful  of 
skirmishers,  some  fifty  in  number,  who  first  held  a  farm- 
house, and  when,  driven  from  this,  kept  up  a  stinging  fire 
from  a  low  kopje,  until,  knowing  that  the  guns  and  waggons 
were  out  of  reach,  and  that  the  two  presidents  must  have 
escaped,  they  retired. 

Thus,  for  an  hour  this  great  body  of  cavalry  and  mounted 
men  suffered  themselves  to  be  detained  on  their  all-import- 
ant journey  by  half  a  company  of  infantry.  Such  was  not 
the  method  by  which  French  had  relieved  Kimberley.  Then 
he  had  disregarded  the  rifle  and  artillery  fire  of  a  vastly 
larger  body  of  men,  and  had  galloped  straight  on.  His  mis- 
sion was  to  the  full  as  important  now,  and  yet  he  allowed 
himself  to  be  detained  for  a  precious  hour,  by  which  time 
the  finest  opportunity  of  the  whole  war  was  lost.  General 
Roberts  remarked  when  he  heard  of  the  utter  failure  of  his 
plans,  "In  war  you  cannot  expect  everything  to  come  out 
right.  General  French  can  afford  to  lose  one  leaf  from  his 
laurel  wreath."  Tucker's  infantry  had  never  fired  a  shot, 
and  De  Wet's  little  band  had  inflicted  some  fifty  casualties 
among  our  cavalry. 


328  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Had  a  portion  of  the  mounted  infantry  been  sent  forward 
on  foot  against  them  as  soon  as  they  opened  fire,  the  matter 
would  have  been  over  in  five  minutes,  and  the  loss  would 
probably  have  been  much  smaller.  The  Boers,  unmolested 
in  their  retreat,  speedily  rallied  and  took  up  a  fresh  position 
at  Driefontein;  and  on  the  9th,  Lord  Roberts  again  ad- 
vanced. As  before,  De  Wet  had  chosen  his  position  well. 
It  was  some  seven  miles  in  length.  The  northern  flank  was 
protected  by  the  river,  the  southern  by  a  steep  hill  extending 
back  for  a  long  distance.  The  general's  plan  was  the  same 
as  in  the  previous  fight,  namely,  to  outflank  the  enemy  and 
cut  off  their  retreat.  For  this  purpose  Tucker's  Division, 
with  a  portion  of  the  cavalry,  were  to  make  a  wide  circuit. 
The  river  prevented  any  flanking  movement  being  attempted 
on  that  side. 

General  French  was  in  command.  The  left  wing  was 
composed  of  Kelly-Kenny's  Division,  the  1st  Cavalry  Brig- 
ade, and  a  regiment  of  Mounted  Infantry.  He  was  to  keep 
in  touch  with  the  centre,  and  not  to  push  his  attack  home 
until  Tucker  had  worked  round  to  the  rear  of  the  position. 
But  movements  in  the  dark  are  always  uncertain,  and 
French,  in  endeavouring  to  keep  touch  with  the  centre, 
moved  his  men  more  and  more  to  the  right,  unknowing  in 
the  darkness  that  he  was  already  ahead  of  that  body.  Thus, 
when  he  approached  the  Boer  position,  he  was  absolutely  be- 
tween it  and  the  main  body.  Morning  was  breaking  now, 
and  Kelly-Kenny  learned  from  a  Boer  farmer,  who  had 
doubtless  been  ordered  by  De  Wet  to  give  false  information, 
that  the  hill  in  front  had  been  abandoned.  Therefore,  he 
advanced  until  a  storm  of  fire  showed  that  he  had  been 
deceived. 

The  Welsh,  who  were  the  leading  regiment,  were  staggered 
by  the  rain  of  bullets,  and  the  Buffs  passed  them.  So  heavy 
was  the  fire  to  which  they  were  exposed  that  every  officer 
was  hit,  and,  throwing  themselves  down,  the  men  joined 
the  Welsh  in  returning1  the  fire  of  their  unseen  assailants. 


PAABDEBERG  329 

The  men  of  the  Essex  regiment,  who  were  next  in  order, 
pushed  on,  supported  by  the  Yorkshires,  and  these  with  a 
cheer  surged  over  the  crest  and  fell  upon  its  defenders,  who 
were  the  Johannesburg  Police,  considered  the  best  corps  in 
the  Boer  army.  It  was  composed  of  men  of  every  national- 
ity. They  had  been  the  terror  and  scourge  of  the  town  where 
they  were  supposed  to  keep  order,  and  were,  for  the  most 
part,  unmitigated  ruffians.  They  possessed,  however,  that 
fighting  instinct  that  was  absent  among  the  Boers,  a  readi- 
ness to  stand  an  attack,  and  they  here  suffered  heavily  for  it. 

The  Essex  men  were  among  them  with  the  bayonet,  and 
drove  them  like  chaff  before  the  wind,  leaving  a  hundred 
dead  behind  them.  The  moment  the  position  was  carried, 
the  Boers  quitted  their  whole  line  of  defences  and  fled  has- 
tily. In  point  of  the  number  of  casualties  the  action  was 
an  insignificant  one.  Kelly-Kenny's  Brigade  had  lost  four 
hundred  in  killed  and  wounded,  but  they  alone  had  been 
engaged.  The  turning  movement  had  failed  altogether,  from 
some  miscalculation  in  distance.  The  attack  had  begun 
long  before  Tucker  and  the  cavalry  had  reached  their  ap- 
pointed place,  and,  as  before,  the  Boers  were  able  to  draw 
off  their  waggons  and  guns.  Nevertheless,  the  consequences 
were  of  immense  importance.  The  road  to  Bloemfontein 
was  again  open,  and  the  Boers  had  learned  that,  however 
strong  their  position,  they  could  not  hope  to  oppose  the 
British  advance.  From  this  time  until  the  army  marched 
into  Pretoria  they  never  again  attempted  to  make  an  en- 
during stand,  but  abandoned  one  after  the  other,  without  an 
attempt  to  defend  them,  the  positions  they  had  prepared,  or 
rather  had  forced  the  Kaffirs  to  prepare  for  them  with  im- 
mense labour. 

There  was  no  delay  after  this  success;  the  army  swept 
forward,  and  on  the  12th  they  were  within  striking  distance 
of  Bloemfontein.  The  cavalry  pushed  forward  to  the  rail- 
way south  of  the  town  and  cut  it,  while  Major  Hunter- 
Weston,  with  a  handful  of  Mounted  Infantry,  started  to 


330  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PRETOBIA 

cut  the  lines  to  the  north  of  the  town.  The  feat  was  a  bold 
and  difficult  one.  The  night  was  extremely  dark,  but  they 
succeeded  in  finding  the  railway  and  in  blowing  up  a  cul- 
vert, and  returning  in  safety  after  having  fought  their  way 
through  a  Boer  force  they  encountered.  This  action  was  of 
immense  service,  as  it  prevented  the  escape  of  twenty-eight 
railway-engines,  two  hundred  and  fifty  trucks,  and  a  thou- 
sand tons  of  coal,  which  were  all  standing  in  readiness  to 
start  as  soon  as  the  British  were  seen  advancing  against  the 
town.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  had  these  trains  es- 
caped, Lord  Eoberts  would  have  found  it  next  to  impossible 
to  supply  his  army  with  provisions. 

As  the  troops  marched  through  Bloemfontein  to  the  spot 
selected  for  their  encampment,  a  mile  or  two  outside  the 
town,  they  were  received  with  enthusiasm  by  the  British  por- 
tion of  the  population.  Union-jacks  waved  from  the  win- 
dows, caps  were  thrown  up,  and  women  sobbed  in  their  joy 
at  their  release  from  the  long  strain  of  nearly  six  months  of 
Boer  insolence  and  oppression.  The  general  was  met  by  a 
deputation  headed  by  the  mayor,  the  landdrost,  and  Mr. 
Eraser — the  last-named  being  a  Scotchman  who  had  long 
been  settled  there,  and  had  adopted  the  nationality  of  the 
Orange  Free  State.  He  had  won  the  esteem  of  the  Dutch 
population  as  well  as  that  of  the  British,  and  had  been  run 
against  Steyn  for  the  presidentship.  Had  he  succeeded,  the 
Free  State  would  never  have  thrown  in  its  lot  with  the 
Transvaal,  and  would  have  been  spared  enormous  sacrifices 
and  financial  ruin.  He  was  thoroughly  loyal  to  the  country 
of  his  birth,  and  was  appointed  by  Lord  Eoberts  chief  mag- 
istrate of  Bloemfontein,  while  General  Pretyman  was  named 
as  its  governor. 

It  was  evident  to  all  that  there  must  be  a  long  pause  before 
the  army  could  renew  its  advance.  The  single  line  of  rail- 
way, by  which  alone  it  must  depend  for  getting  up  provis- 
ions and  stores,  was  threatened  along1  its  whole  length  from 
the  Orange  Kiver  by  the  Boers,  and  indeed  was  at  present 


PAARDEBERG  331 

almost  completely  in  their  hands.  The  bridges  by  which  it 
crossed  the  Orange  Kiver  at  Norval's  Pont,  on  the  branch 
to  Port  Elizabeth,  and  at  Bethulie  on  the  branch  to  East 
London,  were  known  to  have  been  blown  up  by  De  Wet 
when  he  was  summoned  to  hasten  to  Cronje's  assistance. 
Even  when  these  had  been  repaired,  and  the  Boers  driven 
back  from  Springfontein  and  other  points  held  by  them, 
it  was  liable  to  be  interrupted  at  any  moment  by  small  par- 
ties of  the  enemy,  who  would  have  the  aid  and  shelter  of 
farmhouses  near  the  line. 

The  army  was  now  cut  off  entirely  from  its  base  at  De 
Aar,  and  it  would  be  necessary  not  only  to  pass  up  supplies 
sufficient  for  its  daily  consumption,  but  to  collect  great 
magazines  for  its  supply  when  it  started  on  its  march  north. 
It  was  necessary,  too,  to  fill  up  the  gaps  caused  among  the 
horses  of  the  cavalry  and  the  mules  of  the  transport.  No 
fewer  than  ten  thousand  had  died  or  become  utterly  unfit 
for  service  during  the  month  that  had  elapsed  since  the 
advance  began  from  the  Modder  Eiver,  and  even  of  those 
that  remained,  few  would  be  able  for  some  time  to  perform 
hard  work.  Considering  the  enormous  difficulties  in  the 
way,  it  is  wonderful  that  six  weeks  sufficed  to  complete  the 
preparations  for  an  advance. 

Yorke's  first  step  when  the  force  arrived  at  Bloemfontein 
was  to  call  upon  Mr.  von  Kensburg.  The  latter  expressed 
great  satisfaction  at  seeing  him  again. 

"  I  had  every  hope  that  you  had  got  through  safely,  Mr. 
Harberton.  For  if  you  had  not  done  so,  we  should  certainly 
have  heard  of  it  here.  Moreover,  there  came  a  story  that 
three  Boers  had  been  strangely  overpowered,  and  left  tied  up 
in  a  stable  by  two  others,  aided  by  a  Kaffir.  The  two  men 
had  been  recognized  as  spies  by  one  of  the  party  assaulted. 
The  incident  was  considered  as  an  extraordinary  one,  as 
taking  place  in  the  heart  of  a  town  occupied  by  the  Boers, 
without  any  alarm  being  given.  So  far  as  was  known  their 
assailants  had  escaped.  It  was  certain  that  the  two  spies 


332  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

had  ridden  quietly  out  of  the  town,  and. had  been  accom- 
panied by  the  Kaffir.  A  hundred  men  started  in  pursuit 
along  all  the  roads  leading  west,  but  without  success.  I 
felt  no  doubt  that  you  were  the  men  engaged  in  the  matter, 
and  I  heartily  congratulate  you." 

"It  was  entirely  due  to  you  that  we  succeeded;  your 
getting  us  that  ride  in  the  train  down  to  Colesberg,  and  the 
permit  were  of  the  greatest  service  to  us,  and  we  could  hardly 
have  crossed  the  river  without  them.  Even  as  it  was,  it  was 
a  close  thing,  and  it  was  the  greatest  piece  of  good  fortune 
that  we  were  able  to  get  out  of  the  town  after  the  affair 
you  speak  of." 

He  then  related  how  Dirck  Jansen  and  his  companions 
had  been  overcome  and  silenced. 

"  You  Englishmen  are  quicker  of  thought  and  action  than 
our  people,"  von  Kensburg  said.  "  I  am  not  astonished  that 
in  a  sudden  struggle  like  that,  when  both  parties  were 
equally  surprised,  you  had  the  advantage.  I  shall  be  glad, 
if  your  duties  permit,  if  you  will  take  up  your  quarters 
here.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  Dutch  rule  in  this  place  is 
at  an  end,  and  I  shall  be  running  no  risk  whatever  in 
showing  that  I  for  one  am  well  content  that  it  should  be  so. 
The  behaviour  of  your  men  as  they  marched  through  the 
town  to-day  was  beyond  all  praise.  They  must  have  had  a 
terrible  time  of  it,  for  they  all  looked  worn  and  haggard,  and 
had  evidently  been  doing  desperately  hard  work  on  the 
smallest  amount  of  food." 

"Yes,  it  has  been  hard  work,  and  our  loss  in  horses  and 
baggage  animals  has  been  enormous;  still,  we  are  all  well 
satisfied.  In  a  month  from  starting  we  have  relieved  Kim- 
berley,  captured  Cronje  and  some  five  thousand  of  his  men, 
driven  De  Wet  out  of  two  strong  positions,  and  now  occupy 
this  town." 

"I  do  not  think  you  will  have  much  more  hard  fighting, 
Mr.  Harberton.  The  men  who  came  in  here  yesterday,  after 
being  driven  from  the  last  position,  were  completely  dis- 


PAAEDEBEBG  333 

heartened.  They  said  they  had  been  told  that  the  Eooineks 
were  cowards,  but  that  there  was  no  stopping  them,  and  that 
your  soldiers  marched  through  a  storm  of  bullets  as  if  these 
had  merely  been  hailstones." 

As  the  Government  House,  of  which  Lord  Eoberts  had 
taken  possession,  was  close  to  Mr.  von  Rensburg's,  Yorke  had 
no  difficulty  in  obtaining  permission  to  stay  there.  The 
time  passed  pleasantly  for  him;  he  had  just  enough  work  to 
do  in  riding  out  to  the  camps  with  orders,  and  in  questioning 
farmers  who  had  come  in  to  take  advantage  of  the  proclama- 
tion, that  all  who  gave  up  their  arms  and  took  the  oath  of 
neutrality  would  be  permitted  to  return  to  their  farms  and 
remain  there  unmolested.  He  had  his  friends  of  the  9th 
Lancers,  and  was  always  welcomed  in  the  camps  of  the  cav- 
alry brigades.  He  was  introduced  by  Mr.  von  Rensburg  to 
several  of  the  leading  Dutch  families,  and  passed  many 
pleasant  evenings  among  them.  As  the  shops  were  still  fairly 
supplied,  the  headquarter  mess  was  now  comparatively 
luxurious,  and  altogether  he  was  far  less  impatient  than  most 
of  the  other  officers  for  the  advance  to  commence. 

Preparations  for  it  had  begun  some  time  before,  when 
Tucker's  Division  had  captured  Karee  siding,  some  twenty 
miles  north  of  the  town;  but  not  without  considerable  loss, 
for,  as  upon  previous  occasions,  the  infantry  attacked  before 
the  cavalry  had  completed  their  turning  movement.  But  on 
the  3rd  of  May  all  was  ready  for  the  advance.  The  troops 
were  glad  indeed,  for  while  they  were  stationed  at  Bloem- 
fontein,  a  terrible  foe  had  made  its  appearance  among  them. 
Enteric  fever  had  broken  out,  the  hospitals  were  filled  to 
overflowing1  with  sick  men,  and  the  accommodation  was  al- 
together insufficient  to  meet  the  emergency.  For  this  no  one 
could  be  blamed.  The  medical  staff  that  had  accompanied 
the  movement  from  the  Modder  River  was  sufficient  to  cope 
with  and  care  for  any  amount  of  wounded  that  were  likely 
to  be  thrown  on  to  their  hands;  but  it  was  not  capable  of 
meeting  such  an  emergency,  even  with  the  assistance  of  the 


334  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

hospitals  that  had  been  furnished  and  sent  out  by  private 
subscription  from  home.  All  that  could  be  done  was  done; 
but  the  first  necessity  was  to  provide  for  the  wants  of  the 
fighting  men,  to  accumulate  the  stores  on  which  they  would 
have  to  depend  during  their  advance;  and  although  many 
Red  Cross  trains  came  up,  there  was,  for  a  considerable  time, 
a  grievous  deficiency  of  hospital  accommodation  and  hospital 
necessaries,  doctors,  and  nurses. 

In  one  hospital,  where  there  were  five  hundred  beds,  there 
were  seventeen  hundred  sick.  Upwards  of  a  thousand  men 
died,  but  there  were  some  seven  thousand  cases,  and  those 
who  recovered  were  so  debilitated  by  the  effects  of  the  dis- 
ease that  they  were  unfit  for  further  service,  and  had  to  be 
sent  down  to  the  Cape  or  Port  Elizabeth,  and  then  to  Eng- 
land. The  seeds  of  this  terrible  scourge  had  been  sown  by 
the  polluted  waters  drunk  at  Paardeberg.  By  some  grievous 
oversight  the  War  Office  had  neglected  the  advice  of  those 
who  urged  upon  it  the  necessity  of  sending  out  a  special 
corps  to  attend  to  sanitary  points.  Had  this  recommenda- 
tion been  attended  to,  the  lives  of  some  four  thousand  or 
five  thousand  men,  and  of  over  twenty  thousand  sent  home 
incapacitated  for  work,  would  have  been  saved. 

Gatacre's  force  were  able  after  De  Wet's  departure  to 
move  up  to  the  Orang'e  River,  repairing  the  railway  as  they 
advanced.  On  arriving  at  Bethulie  Bridge,  the  general 
found  that,  although  that  magnificent  railway  viaduct  had 
been  destroyed,  the  road  bridge  was  still  intact.  It  was 
known,  however,  to  be  mined,  and  there  was  a  strong  Boer 
force  on  the  other  side  ready  to  blow  it  up  the  instant  the 
British  ventured  upon  it.  It  was  saved,  however,  by  the 
daring  action  of  Lieutenant  Popham,  of  the  Derbyshire 
Regiment,  and  of  Captain  Grant,  of  the  Sappers.  The 
former,  with  two  men,  crept  along  the  bridge  at  night  and 
removed  the  detonators,  took  away  the  dynamite  from  under 
the  farther  span,  and  carried  it  off  under  a  heavy  fire,  opened 
by  the  Boers  as  soon  as  they  found  that  the  mines  were 


PAABDEBEBG  335 

being  tampered  with.  But  there  still  remained  heavy  charges 
in  the  piers,  and  although  the  Boers  could  not  explode  these 
in  the  ordinary  way,  as  they  were  commanded  _by  our  rifle- 
fire,  they  might  have  effected  it  by  directing  a  shell-fire 
against  them.  Captain  Grant,  therefore,  completed  Popham's 
work  by  going  across,  removing  the  charges,  and  dropping 
them  into  the  river.  As  the  reconstruction  of  the  railway- 
bridge  was  a  work  that  would  occupy  months  rather  than 
weeks,  the  preservation  of  the  road-bridge  was  a  matter  of 
vital  importance.  Gatacre's  force  marched  across  it  after 
the  enemy  had  been  shelled  out  from  their  position  on  the 
other  side,  and  advanced  along  the  line  of  railway.  The 
cavalry  pushed  forward  to  Springfontein,  and  there  met  two 
battalions  of  Guards  sent  down  by  train  from  Bloemfontein 
— and  thus  the  whole  line  of  railway  was  in  our  possession. 

Clements,  advancing  from  Colesberg,  had  thrown  a  pon- 
toon bridge  across  the  river  close  to  the  ruined  Norval's 
Pont,  and  thus,  when  a  temporary  deviation  of  the  line  had 
been  effected,  this  branch  of  the  railway  was  also  available. 
Farther  to  the  east,  General  Brabant,  with  a  force  of  Colonial 
Volunteers,  the  Royal  Scots,  and  three  guns  of  field-artillery, 
advanced  to  Dordrecht,  won  a  victory  there,  and  pushed  on 
so  rapidly  towards  Aliwal,  that  he  occupied  the  bridge  there 
before  it  could  be  blown  up,  and  then  proceeded  to  stamp 
out  the  rebellion  in  that  part  of  Cape  Colony.  To  the  east 
of  the  line  of  railway,  from  Bethulie  to  Bloemfontein,  strong 
bodies  of  the  enemy  continued  to  wander  about  doing  con- 
siderable damage.  But  Lord  Roberts  was  not  to  be  tempted 
to  move  any  considerable  forces  to  suppress  them.  His 
great  object  was  to  march  to  Pretoria,  his  great  work  to 
collect  stores  that  would  enable  him  to  do  so,  and  to  do 
this  he  contented  himself  with  holding  fast  to  the  line  of 
railway.  Rails  were  often  removed  and  culverts  blown  up, 
but  a  few  hours'  work  always  sufficed  to  repair  the  damage. 

Two  serious  reverses,  however,  happened.  A  cavalry  force 
had  been  threatened  by  a  strong  Boer  commando  at  the 


336  WITH  BOBERTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

water-works  that  supplied  Bloemfontein.  They  were  twenty- 
four  miles  from  the  town.  The  Boers  opened  fire  with  heavy 
guns  from  a  hill  that  commanded  the  British  position.  Col- 
onel Broadwood,  who  was  in  command,  could  not,  with  a 
force  composed  only  of  mounted  men,  attempt  to  storm  the 
hill,  and  as  the  guns  of  the  two  batteries  of  horse-artillery 
with  him  were  altogether  inferior  to  those  of  the  Boers,  he 
decided  to  retire  upon  Bloemfontein.  He  knew  that-  a  mes- 
senger he  had  sent  the  night  before  to  ask  for  reinforce- 
ments had  arrived  there,  and  he  received  a  reply  that  Col- 
vile's  Division  would  be  sent  out  before  daybreak  to  meet 
him.  Believing,  therefore,  that  there  was  no  danger  in 
front,  he  remained  at  the  rear  of  the  column,  which  had 
been  shelled  by  the  enemy. 

The  waggons  were  at  the  head  of  the  retiring  column, 
which,  as  it  crossed  the  plain,  had  to  go  through  a  deep 
donga.  Here  the  Boers  were  in  hiding.  Each  waggon  as 
it  descended  was  silently  seized.  A  Boer  took  the  place 
of  the  driver,  and  it  ascended  the  opposite  side  without 
any  alarm  being  given.  So  the  whole  convoy  would  have 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  hidden  enemy  had  not  one  of 
the  troopers  with  it  drawn  his  pistol  and  fired.  A  volley 
of  shots  rang  out,  and  the  brave  fellow  paid  for  his  courage 
with  his  life.  The  nine  waggons  which  had  not  reached 
the  donga  halted.  The  two  batteries  were  close  behind  them, 
and,  knowing  further  concealment  to  be  useless,  the  Boers 
sprang  to  their  feet  and  opened  a  terrible  fire  on  them. 
Men  and  horses  went  down  in  numbers.  The  confusion  was 
terrible.  The  men  struggled  to  get  the  fallen  horses  out 
of  the  traces,  but  were  mown  down  by  the  continuous  rain 
of  bullets.  The  rearmost  gun  of  the  leading  battery  alone 
was  able  to  get  off,  and  galloped  furiously  back.  Two  guns 
of  the  second  battery  were  overturned  by  the  struggling 
horses  and  had  to  be  abandoned.  As  soon  as  the  others 
reached  a  distance  of  seven  or  eight  hundred  yards  fro» 
the  edge  of  the  donga,  they  turned  and  opened  fire. 


MAFEKING  337 

Roberta's  Horse  had  been  abreast  of  the  guns  and  suffered 
heavily  also;  but  they,  the  New  Zealanders,  and  the  Burmese 
Horse  dismounted  when  they  had  retired  a  sufficient  dis- 
tance, and,  throwing  themselves  down,  returned  the  fire  of 
the  Boers.  Parties  of  cavalry  were  sent  off  to  discover 
some  other  point  at  which  the  donga  could  be  crossed,  and 
one  was  found  two  miles  to  the  south  by  an  officer  of 
Kimington's  Scouts,  and  towards  this  the  force  moved  off. 
The  artillery  nobly  covered  the  retreat.  But  they  had  suf- 
fered terribly.  Two  of  the  guns  had  but  two  men  left  to 
work  them,  and  another  was  loaded  and  fired  by  an  officer 
single-handed;  and  when  at  last  the  order  came  to  fall 
back,  but  ten  men  remained  on  their  legs,  and  several  of 
these  were  wounded.  The  Colonial  corps  covered  the  with- 
drawal by  turns,  and  in  two  hours  the  rear  of  the  column 
had  crossed  the  donga.  Some  thirty  officers  and  three  hun- 
dred men  were  killed,  wounded,  or  missing.  A  hundred 
waggons,  with  seven  guns,  were  lost.  Only  one  officer  and 
the  sergeant-major  of  the  leading  battery  escaped. 

The  other  disaster,  which  was  equally  serious,  occurred 
four  days  later,  when  a  detachment  of  five  companies  of 
infantry  posted  at  Reddersburg  were  surrounded  on  their 
march  from  an  advanced  position,  and  took  post  on  a  kopje. 
For  twenty-four  hours  they  defended  themselves  gallantly. 
But  they  were  without  water,  the  hoped-for  relief  did  not 
arrive,  and  they  surrendered  the  next  morning. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

MAFEKING 


N  the    20th  of  April,    Yorke  was    sent    for   by   Lord 
Roberts.    "  I  suppose  you  are  almost  tired  of  remain- 
ing quiet,  Mr.  Harberton,"  he  said  with  a  smile. 


0 


(M839) 


338  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"I  stall  certainly  be  glad  when  we  are  off,  sir.  But  I 
am  by  no  means  sorry  for  a  rest  after  being  on  horse- 
back for  six  months.  But  I  am  perfectly  ready  to  go  any- 
where if  I  can  be  of  service." 

"What  do  you  say  to  a  ride  to  Kimberley?" 

"I  am  quite  ready  to  go,  sir;  though  I  hope  to  be  back 
with  you  when  you  advance." 

Lord  Eoberts  shook  his  head.  "I  hope  to  be  away  before 
you  get  back.  I  have  some  despatches  for  you  to  .carry. 
The  wires  are  so  frequently  cut  by  the  Boers  that  I  cannot 
trust  to  them  in  a  matter  of  importance.  They  relate  to 
an  expedition  that  is  being  prepared  for  the  relief  of  Mafe- 
king.  Lord  Methuen  is  confronted  by  so  strong  a  force 
of  Boers — doubtless  a  portion  of  Cronje's  force,  which  moved 
north  with  the  guns — that  he  cannot  go  forward.  Colonel 
Plumer  in  the  north  has  not  a  sufficient  force  to  fight  his 
way  in.  Therefore  profound  secrecy  is  necessary  with  re- 
gard to  the  route  of  a  force  with  which  Lord  Methuen  and 
I  hope  to  relieve  the  town.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  I 
dare  not  trust  to  the  wire.  You  have  done  good  service, 
Mr.  Harberton,  and  if  you  like  I  will  attach  you  to  the 
force,  which  will  start  in  ten  days  or  so.  And  if  all  goes 
well,  you  will  be  at  Mafeking,  and  will  have  time  to  rejoin 
me,  say  at  Johannesburg,  before  I  advance  on  Pretoria.  I 
cannot  expect  my  progress  to  be  very  rapid,  for  although  I 
do  not  anticipate  any  serious  resistance  on  the  part  of  the 
Boers,  I  shall  have  to  make  halts  to  enable  the  supplies  to 
come  up.  And  as  the  party  you  will  go  with  will  travel 
fast,  I  do  not  think  that,  if  all  goes  well,  you  will  be 
many  days  behind  me  at  Johannesburg." 

"Thank  you  very  much,  sir!  If  I  cannot  be  with  you, 
I  should  above  all  things  like  to  be  at  the  relief  of  Mafe- 
king." 

"  The  despatches  will  be  ready  for  you  this  evening,"  the 
general  said.  "You  can  start  with  them  as  early  as  you 


MAFEKINa  339 

like.  I  hope  that  your  usual  good  luck  will  again  attend 
you." 

Yorke  bowed  and  retired.  He  had  no  doubt  that  Lord 
Roberts  would,  as  before,  turn  the  Boers  out  of  their  posi- 
tions by  flanking  movements,  and  that  if  a  great  battle 
were  fought,  it  would  be  close  to  Pretoria,  and  he  felt  de- 
lighted at  the  thought  of  being  with  an  expedition  which 
the  general  evidently  believed  was  likely  to  effect  the  relief 
of  Mafeking. 

That  town  had,  since  the  day  of  the  declaration  of  war 
by  the  Boers,  been  a  cause  of  no  little  anxiety.  As  time 
went  on,  and  the  garrison  continued  to  defend  themselves 
heroically,  the  feeling  at  home  heightened,  until  every  scrap 
of  news  that  came  through  was  regarded  with  as  much  in- 
terest as  the  more  important  operations  of  the  army. 

Mafeking  was  a  small  town,  and  was  chiefly  known  in 
Britain  as  the  place  from  which  the  Jameson  raid  had 
started.  It  was  the  nearest  point  of  the  western  railway 
to  Pretoria,  and  was  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Transvaal 
frontier.  Unlike  Kimberley,  it  contained  no  garrison  of 
regular  troops,  the  force  consisting  only  of  three  hundred 
and  forty  men  of  the  Protectorate  Regiment,  one  hundred 
and  seventy  Police,  and  two  hundred  Volunteers.  But  for- 
tunately, early  in  July,  the  military  authorities  at  Cape 
Town  had  appointed  Colonel  Baden-Powell  to  organize  a 
force  of  irregulars,  both  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  any 
native  rising  in  case  of  war,  and  as  far  as  possible  to 
defend  the  eastern  border.  The  difficulty  of  such  a  task, 
owing  to  the  extreme  length  of  the  frontier,  had  been  rec- 
ognized at  once;  and  a  better  man  could  not  have  been 
chosen  for  the  task.  Baden-Powell  had,  a  year  before,  taken 
a  conspicuous  part  in  the  campaign  against  the  Matabele; 
and  before  the  outbreak  began,  had  organized  the  Protec- 
torate Regiment;  while,  under  his  orders,  Colonel  Plumer 
had  raised  a  regiment  in  Rhodesia. 


340  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

He  saw  that  Mafeking  was  certain  to  be  the  first  point 
of  attack.  It  was  but  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from 
Pretoria,  and  was  the  route  through  which  the  Boers  would 
naturally  pour  into  the  colony,  where  the  population  was 
largely  Dutch.  He  had  chosen  as  his  chief  of  staff  Major 
Lord  Edward  Cecil,  who  arrived  at  the  town  on  October  1, 
1899,  and  set  to  work  to  prepare  the  town  for  defence,  with 
Captain  Williams  and  Captain  Fitz-Clarence,  Lord  Charles 
Bentinck,  and  other  officers. 

The  military  authorities  had  sent  up  a  certain  amount  of 
stores.  These  were  quite  inadequate  for  the  purpose,  and 
Baden-Powell  and  Lord  Cecil  took  upon  themselves  the  re- 
sponsibility of  ordering  far  larger  supplies  to  be  forwarded. 
They  might  have  failed  in  obtaining  these  had  it  not  been 
for  the  patriotism  of  Messrs.  Weil  &  Co.,  one  of  the  largest 
firms  in  South  Africa.  These  accepted  the  order,  although 
quite  aware  that  the  prices  of  all  goods  were  advancing 
enormously,  and  furnished  the  supplies  asked  for.  And  thus 
the  store  of  provisions  was  accumulated  that  enabled  Mafe- 
king to  hold  out  for  so  many  months. 

But  the  requisitions  for  guns  was  not  so  promptly  com- 
plied with.  The  Africander  government  of  Cape  Colony, 
whose  sympathies  were  wholly  with  the  Transvaal,  pre- 
tended to  doubt  that  there  was  any  probability  of  war,  and 
refused  to  send  up  the  guns,  and  when  at  the  last  moment 
half  a  dozen  small  pieces  of  artillery  were  forwarded,  they 
arrived  too  late  and  were  unable  to  enter  the  place. 

On  Baden-Powell's  arrival  he  organized  the  town  guard, 
consisting  of  all  white  inhabitants  capable  of  carrying  guns, 
and  even  boys  of  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  were  formed  into 
a  cadet  corps  for  orderly  duty.  An  armoured  train  was 
constructed  and  armed  with  a  Maxim  and  Nordenfeldt,  and 
mines  were  laid  in  a  circle  round  the  town. 

Already  several  large  commandos  of  Boers  had  appeared 
on  the  frontier,  and  whatever  might  be  the  opinion  else- 
where, at  Mafeking  there  was  no  question  whatever  that 


MAFEKTNQ  341 

these  men  were  only  waiting  for  the  declaration  of  war 
by  Kruger  to  attack  the  town.  On  the  day  after  the  ex- 
piration of  the  time  named  in  Kruger's  ultimatum  the 
railway  was  torn  up  forty  miles  south  of  the  town,  and 
an  armoured  train,  bringing  two  seven-pounders  for  Mafe- 
king,  was  thrown  off  the  rails,  and  an  artillery  fire  opened 
upon  it.  The  officer  who,  with  twenty  men,  was  escorting 
the  train,  defended  himself  valiantly  for  five  hours,  but 
was  then  obliged  to  surrender.  This  was  the  first  blood  shed 
in  the  war. 

The  Boers  had  doubtless  expected  to  enter  the  town  with 
scarce  any  resistance.  They  were  five  thousand  in  number, 
and  knew  from  their  sympathizers  in  the  place  that,  includ- 
ing the  town  guard,  its  defenders  amounted  to  only  nine 
hundred  men,  with  two  seven-pounder  guns  and  six  ma- 
chine-guns. The  difficulties  of  the  besieged  lay  chiefly  in 
the  fact  that  Mafeking,  though  but  a  small  town,  was  scat- 
tered over  a  very  large  area,  and  that  the  defences  were 
naturally  erected  some  distance  outside  the  circuit.  These 
defences  were  planned  by  Colonel  Vyvyan  and  Major  Pan- 
zera. 

Two  days  after  the  declaration  of  war  the  Boers  appeaped 
before  Mafeking,  and  drove  in  the  pickets  round  the  town. 
The  armoured  train  and  a  squadron  of  the  Protectorate 
Eegiment  went  out  and  drove  back  the  Boers.  Great  num- 
bers of  the  enemy  hurried  up  and  cut  off  the  party,  but 
another  squadron  and  a  seven-pounder  went  out  and  opened 
a  passage  into  the  town.  The  loss  was  about  two  killed  and 
fourteen  wounded,  while  the  Boers  suffered  much  more 
heavily.  Two  days  later  the  Boers  opened  fire  on  the  town 
with  two  twelve-pounder  guns,  and  in  another  four  days 
Cronje  sent  in  a  messenger  with  the  summons :  "  Surrender 
to  avoid  bloodshed";  to  which  Powell  replied,  "When  is 
bloodshed  going  to  begin?"  Two  or  three  days  later  the 
Boers  brought  up  a  ninety-six-pounder,  and  the  bombardment 
began  in  earnest. 


342  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

On  the  27th  a  sortie  was  made;  one  of  the  Boer  trenches 
was  carried,  the  Boers  were  driven  out  with  a  loss  of  a 
hundred  men,  while  we  had  six  killed  and  eleven  wounded. 
About  half  the  Boers  who  fell  were  killed  by  the  bayonet, 
and  consequently  this  weapon  was  throughout  the  siege  re- 
garded with  a  wholesome  dread  by  the  besiegers.  There 
were  now,  in  addition  to  the  ninety-six-pounder,  five  seven- 
pounders,  one  ten-pounder,  and  two  twelve-pounders  playing 
on  the  town,  and  yet  the  damage  done  was  so  slight  that  on 
the  day  after  the  sortie  there  was  a  concert  at  the  hotel, 
the  officers  all  attending  in  fighting  costume,  in  readiness  to 
rush  out  in  case  the  Boers  attacked. 

Bomb-proof  shelters  were  dug,  everyone  kept  in  good 
spirits,  and  Baden-Powell  sent  out  the  cheerful  message,  "  All 
well.  Four  hours'  bombardment;  one  dog  killed."  Another 
summons  to  surrender  was  answered  with  the  message,  "  Tell 
General  Cronje  that  I  will  let  him  know  when  we  have  had 
enough." 

Two  assaults  were  made,  but  they  were  both  repulsed  with 
loss,  although  one  of  them  was  pushed  with  great  energy 
against  an  old  fort  which  was  the  key  to  our  position.  It 
was  held  by  Colonel  Walford  and  men  of  the  South  African 
Police.  The  attack  was  covered  by  the  fire  of  four  guns 
and  the  ninety-six-pounder.  The  Boers  fought  well,  and 
pushed  up  to  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the  little  fort, 
but  were  repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  We  had  two  officers, 
Captain  the  Hon.  D.  H.  Marshall  and  Captain  Pechell, 
among  the  six  killed.  Various  skirmishes  followed,  but  the 
siege  languished  until,  on  the  18th  of  November,  Cronje 
left  to  take  command  of  the  force  assembling  to  oppose 
the  advance  of  Lord  Methuen.  Commandant  Snyman  suc- 
ceeded to  his  post. 

Things  went  on  quietly  until  a  great  sortie  was  made  on 
26th  December.  The  object  was  to  attack  a  post  called 
Game  Tree  Fort.  The  storming-party  was  composed  of 
eighty  men  and  six  officers.  Captain  Vernon  of  the  Pro- 


MAFEKING  343 

tectorate  Regiment  was  in  command.  Supported  by  a  con- 
siderable force  and  by  guns  playing  on  the  enemy  to  dis- 
tract their  attention,  the  storming-party  dashed  forward. 
Many  fell  as  they  advanced,  but  they  pushed  forward  till 
they  reached  the  fort,  which  was  composed  of  sand-bags. 
These  stood  up  like  a  wall,  and  no  efforts  of  the  men  sufficed 
to  enable  them  to  scale  it,  whereas  from  loopholes  left  be- 
tween the  bags  a  murderous  fire  was  maintained.  Captains 
Vernon,  Sandford,  and  Paton  were  killed,  Captain  Fitz- 
Clarence  wounded,  and  Lieutenants  Swinburne  and  Bridges 
alone  escaped  the  deadly  fire  and  led  back  the  survivors  of 
the  little  storming-party.  Twenty-one  had  fallen,  and  four 
of  those  carried  off  were  found  to  be  mortally  wounded. 

After  this  there  was  a  long  period  of  inaction.  The  bom- 
bardment was  continued,  Snyman,  in  spite  of  the  protests 
of  Baden-Powell,  continuing  to  throw  shells  into  the  nun- 
nery and  the  women's  laager,  until  the  colonel  ordered  a 
number  of  the  Boer  prisoners  to  be  also  confined  there. 
Occasionally  a  message  was  got  through,  and,  carefully  as 
the  provisions  were  doled  out,  the  gallant  commander  at 
last  informed  General  Eoberts  that  by  the  20th  of  May  the 
stock  would  absolutely  come  to  an  end,  and  that  he  could 
not  hold  out  beyond  that  date. 

On  17th  April,  seeing  that  the  force  from  Rhodesia  under 
Colonel  Plumer  was  not  sufficiently  strong  to  fight  its  way 
through,  and  that  the  expedition  that  had  been  sent  there 
by  way  of  Beira  could  hardly,  in  spite  of  the  tremendous 
exertions  that  were  being  made,  be  depended  upon  to  join 
Plumer  in  time,  Lord  Roberts  ordered  that  a  flying  column 
of  mounted  troops,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Mahon 
of  the  8th  Hussars,  should  start  from  Kimberley  not  later 
than  the  4th  of  May. 

Yorke,  after  leaving  Lord  Roberts,  at  once  returned  to 
his  quarters  and  told  his  host  that  he  was  going  to  Kimber- 
ley, and  should  probably  not  return  to  Bloemfontein,  but 
should  rejoin  the  army  on  its  way  up  the  country. 


344  WITH  BOBERTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

"  Are  you  going  to  take  your  man  with  you  ? " 

"No,  sir,  I  shall  have  to  travel  fast,  and  may  have  to 
ride  for  my  life.  I  shall  take  my  best  horse.  If  you  will 
kindly  allow  me  to  leave  the  other  in  your  stable,  my  man 
can  bring  him  on  when  the  army  moves." 

"  That  I  will  gladly  do,  but  you  must  let  me  lend  you  a 
better  mount  than  the  one  you  are  taking.  I  have  two  in 
my  stable  of  which  you  can  take  your  choice.  I  think  either 
of  them  is  as  good  as  any  in  the  state — or,  I  should  say, 
in  the  colony,  as,  since  your  general's  proclamation,  we  are 
all  British  subjects." 

"I  could  not  think  of  accepting  your  kind  offer,  sir." 

"But  I  insist  upon  it,  Mr.  Harberton.  Indeed  you  will 
be  doing  me  a  service,  for  since  the  war  began  I  have  had 
no  use  for  my  horses  at  all,  and  they  sadly  want  exercise. 
A  month's  hard  work  will  be  of  real  benefit  to  the  animal; 
and  I  should  benefit  too,  for  time  was  when  I  did  not 
mind  how  fiery  a  horse  was,  but  now  that  I  am  getting  on 
in  life  I  am  not  fond  of  having  to  fight  with  my  mount." 

"  I  am  extremely  obliged  to  you,  sir ;  but  I  do  not  see 
how  I  shall  be  able  to  send  it  back  again  to  you." 

"When  you  get  to  Johannesburg  you  can  leave  it  with 
Mr.  Chambers,  he  and  I  will  arrange  how  it  is  to  be  re- 
turned. In  fact,  as  soon  as  matters  are  settled  down  I 
»shall  certainly  go  there  myself.  Do  not  let  that  trouble  you 
in  any  way." 

Yorke  gratefully  accepted  the  offer.  Both  of  his  own 
horses  had  felt  the  hard  work  to  which  they  had  been  sub- 
jected, that  which  Hans  rode  more  than  his  own;  for  the 
latter  had  been  kept  hard  at  work  since  their  arrival  at 
Bloemfontein,  and  was  certainly  not  fit  to  start  on  a  journey 
of  many  hundred  miles.  Both  horses  could,  without  diffi- 
culty, go  on  at  the  rate  the  army  was  likely  to  advance, 
especially  after  having  another  ten  days'  rest  at  Bloem- 
fontein. 

Hans  and  Peter  were  both  disappointed  when  they  heard 


MAFEKINQ  345 

that  they  were  not  to  accompany  Yorke.  But  Hans  him- 
self, who  throughout  had  taken  great  care  of  the  horses, 
admitted  that  these  were  not  fit  to  start  on  so  long  a  journey. 
Accordingly  the  next  morning  at  daybreak  Yorke  started 
alone  on  the  horse  that  had  been  lent  to  him.  The  distance 
between  Bloemfontein  and  Kimberley  was  somewhat  under 
a  hundred  miles,  and  this  was  traversed  in  two  days,  Yorke 
riding  only  forty  miles  the  first  day,  as  he  felt  that  it 
would  not  do  to  push  the  animal  too  hard  immediately  after 
being  so  long  without  work.  He  did  not  hesitate  to  com- 
plete the  remaining  part  of  the  journey  on  the  second  day, 
as  he  knew  that  the  horse  would  have  at  least  a  week's  rest 
before  starting  again.  It  was  a  splendid  animal,  superior 
even  to  that  which  had  been  killed  at  the  time  when  he  was 
taken  prisoner  on  his  way  to  Belmont,  and  as  it  stretched 
out  in  a  gallop  under  him  he  felt  that  he  could  ride  any- 
where across  country  without  fear  of  being  overtaken  by  any 
party  of  Boers  he  might  meet. 

On  his  arrival  at  Kimberley  he  handed  his  despatches  to 
Colonel  Mahon,  to  whom  he  was  instructed  to  deliver  them 
if  Lord  Methuen  was  still  at  Boshof. 

"  I  have  brought  despatches  for  you,  sir,"  he  said  as  he 
entered  that  officer's  head-quarters.  "  Lord  Roberts  informed 
me  that  if,  as  he  supposed,  Lord  Methuen  was  still  at  Boshof, 
I  was  to  hand  them  to  you,  as  they  relate  entirely  to  the 
force  you  are  preparing.  I  have  the  honour  to  be  one  of 
the  commander-in-chief's  extra  aides-de-camp.  My  name  is 
Harberton." 

"  We  have  all  heard  of  you,  Mr.  Harberton,"  the  colonel 
said  as  he  opened  the  despatches.  "Your  journey  to  Kim- 
berley, and  your  adventurous  escape  from  Pretoria,  have 
made  your  name  familiar  to  us  all." 

When  he  glanced  through  the  despatches  he  said:  "I 
am  glad  to  see  that  you  are  to  accompany  me  till  we  get 
to  Maf eking.  Our  arrangements  are  going  on  most  satis- 
factorily, and  I  have  no  doubt  that  we  shall  be  in  a  posi- 


346  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

tion  to  start  on  the  day  named.  Now,  you  must  be  fam- 
ishing after  your  ride,  though,  I  suppose,  as  an  old  hand, 
you  did  not  leave  Bloemfontein  without  some  provision  for 
the  journey.  I  will  tell  my  orderly  to  put  your  horse  up 
at  once.  Dinner  will  be  ready  downstairs  in  half  an  hour; 
they  always  keep  a  table  for  me  and  my  officers." 

The  dinner  at  the  hotel  bore  few  signs  of  the  long1  siege. 
Supplies  had  been  got  up,  and  some  of  the  principal  in- 
habitants had  returned,  and  though  at  Bloemfontein  things 
had  been  well  managed  and  comfortable,  the  style  in  which 
meals  were  served  was  very  inferior  to  that  which  had 
already  been  attained  at  Kimberley.  Some  ten  or  twelve 
officers  joined  Colonel  Mahon's  party.  No  allusion  what- 
ever was  made  to  the  intended  expedition,  which  was  kept  a 
profound  secret,  as  even  at  Kimberley  there  were  many  Boer 
sympathizers,  and  it  was  all-important  that  no  rumour  of 
the  approaching  departure  of  a  large  body  of  horse  should 
be  known  to  them.  It  was  to  consist  of  the  Imperial  Light 
Horse,  which  had  arrived  from  Natal,  the  Kimberley  mounted 
corps,  the  Diamond  Field  Horse,  a  party  of  Imperial  Yeo- 
manry, and  a  detachment  of  the  Cape  Police,  a  horse  artillery 
battery  with  four  guns  and  two  machine-guns,  a  hundred 
men  of  the  Fusiliers  to  guard  the  waggons,  fifty-two  waggons 
with  ten  mules  each,  and  a  number  of  spare  horses  to  take 
the  place  of  any  that  might  break  down.  The  force  amounted 
in  all  to  twelve  hundred  men.  Not  even  to  the  officers  who 
commanded  the  different  corps  was  their  destination  made 
known  until  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  May,  when  the  force 
had  ridden  out  from  Kimberley. 

Yorke  had  placed  himself  altogether  under  Colonel 
Mahon's  orders,  and  had  looked  after  many  of  the  details 
connected  with  the  waggons  and  provisions.  The  store  of 
food  carried  was  quite  enough  to  last  fourteen  days,  this 
being  the  outside  limit  of  the  time  that  the  march  was 
likely  to  occupy.  Once  off  there  was  no  delay.  The  mules 
and  the  waggons  did  their  work  well,  and  the  force  moved 


MAFEKING  347 

round  to  the  west  of  the  position  of  a  large  body  of  Boers, 
who  were  opposing  Methuen's  advance  by  the  line  of  rail- 
way, and  on  the  9th  marched  into  Vryburg,  having  done  a 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  in  five  days.  They  halted  here 
for  a  day  to  rest  the  animals,  and  on  the  llth  they  started 
again.  Hitherto  not  a  shot  had  been  fired.  From  this  point 
they  were  watched  by  the  enemy,  as  their  arrival  at  Vry- 
burg had  been  at  once  notified  to  the  Boers,  and  at  Koo- 
doosrand  a  force  was  found  posted  in  a  strong  position  in 
front  of  them. 

Mahon,  whose  object  was  not  to  fight  but  to  relieve  Mafe- 
king,  moved  off  to  the  westward;  but  here  the  country  was 
found  to  be  thickly  covered  with  bush,  which  greatly  im- 
peded the  progress  of  the  waggons,  and  presently  the  enemy, 
leaving  their  position,  threw  themselves  across  his  path. 
There  was  a  sharp  but  short  encounter,  and  the  Boers  were 
soon  in  flight.  The  casualties  in  killed  and  wounded  on  our 
side  were  only  thirty. 

On  the  15th  the  relieving  column  arrived  at  a  village 
twenty  miles  to  the  west  of  Mafeking,  where,  within  an 
hour  of  their  entry,  they  were  joined  by  Plumer's  force, 
which  had  just  been  strengthened  by  the  arrival  of  four 
twelve-pounder  guns  of  the  Canadian  artillery,  and  a  party 
of  Queenslanders. 

These  troops  had  performed  a  marvellous  march.  On  their 
arrival  from  Canada  and  Queensland  respectively  they  had 
been  brought  round  by  ship  to  Beira,  carried  by  train  to  the 
plateau  of  Ehodesia,  from  there  in  vehicles  a  hundred  miles 
to  Buluwayo,  then  by  train  over  four  hundred  miles  to 
Ootsi,  and  had  then  pushed  on  on  foot  for  four  days  over 
terribly  bad  roads  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  miles  a  day, 
and  had  been  with  Plumer  only  a  few  hours. 

There  was  no  fear  now  that  they  would  fail  to  gain  the 
success  they  had  striven  for,  as  their  united  force  was 
stronger  than  that  with  which  Snyman  could  oppose  them. 
The  Boer  commander,  however,  would  not  retire  without 


348  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

one  last  effort,  and  he  planted  hia  force  on  a  hill  which 
commanded  the  water  supply;  but  after  he  had  held  his 
ground  for  an  hour,  his  guns  were  silenced,  and  he  retired 
past  Mafeking  to  the  trenches  on  the  eastern  side.  Here, 
however,  the  Boers  had  no  rest,  for  Baden-Powell  sallied 
out  with  his  garrison,  and  Mahon's  guns  opened  upon  them, 
so  that  ere  long  they  withdrew  and  retreated  eastward. 

Maf eking  was  free  at  last!  Only  six  days  before,  fear- 
ing doubtless  that  relief  would  come  ere  long,  and  possibly 
hearing  that  a  large  cavalry  force  was  nearing  Vryburg, 
the  Boers  made  the  most  determined  attempt  to  capture 
Mafeking  that  had  occurred  during  the  siege.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  12th  three  hundred  volunteers,  under  the 
command  of  Eloff,  a  grandson  of  Kruger,  crept  up  to  the 
west  of  the  besiegers'  line  and  reached  the  native  quarters, 
to  which  they  at  once  set  fire.  The  barracks  of  the  Pro- 
tectorate Regiment  were  held  by  Hore  and  some  twenty  of 
his  men.  These,  after  a  stout  defence,  were  compelled  to 
surrender.  Two  other  positions  within  the  line  were  cap- 
tured, and  had  Snyman  sent  up  his  support  at  once,  affairs 
might  have  ended  badly;  but  this  failed  to  arrive.  The 
telephone  and  telegraph  wires  called  up  the  defenders  from 
all  parts  of  the  town.  These  gradually  surrounded  the  posi- 
tions the  Boers  had  taken,  and  prevented  any  reinforce- 
ments from  reaching  them.  Knowing  that  unless  aided  they 
must  surrender  in  time,  Baden-Powell  refused  to  allow  the 
loss  of  life  that  must  ensue  if  the  Boers  were  attacked,  and 
contented  himself  with  preventing  them  from  being  re- 
inforced, and  at  seven  in  the  evening  Eloff,  finding  his  posi- 
tion desperate,  surrendered. 

The  defence  of  Mafeking  ranks  with  that  of  Ladysmith  in 
the  stubbornness  of  the  resistance  which  it,  an  open  town, 
made  against  a  powerful  enemy,  and  is  the  more  remarkable 
inasmuch  as  the  garrison  consisted  entirely  of  irregulars, 
with  but  two  or  three  guns  of  the  smallest  calibre,  while 
the  enemy  had  far  more  numerous  and  powerful  artillery. 


MAFEKINQ  349 

Tor  six  months  the  little  garrison  had  maintained  an  un- 
flinching defence,  during  which  time  their  spirits,  and  it 
may  be  said  their  gaiety,  never  flagged  under  any  privation, 
hardship,  or  work. 

The  service  they  rendered  the  country  is  beyond  com- 
putation; for  they  had  detained  throughout  the  early  months 
of  the  siege  five  thousand  men,  who  would  otherwise  have 
been  carrying  fire  and  sword  throughout  the  Colony,  and 
causing  a  general  rising  among  the  Dutch  population,  who 
were  only  waiting  for  the  fall  of  Mafeking  and  the  arrival 
of  their  friends  to  take  up  arms.  Pressed  as  the  garrison 
had  been,  they  were  in  better  condition  than  the  inhabitants 
of  Ladysmith  when  that  town  was  relieved.  The  arrange- 
ments had  all  been  admirable.  Horse-flesh  and  horse-soup 
had  been  served  out  regularly.  Oats  had  largely  entered  into 
the  rations.  A  certain  allowance  of  oat  flour  was  served  out, 
and  porridge  was  made  from  bran,  by  mixing  the  sifting 
of  the  husks  with  water,  letting  this  stand  for  twenty-four 
hours  until  it  became  slightly  sour,  then  boiling  it  for  an 
hour  and  leaving  it  to  cool.  The  natives,  who  had  an  ob- 
jection to  the  horse-flesh  and  horse-soup,  were  in  the  latter 
days  of  the  siege  fed  wholly  on  this  porridg'e. 

Mafeking  was  relieved  on  the  18th  of  May..  On  the  20th, 
Snyman  had  informed  the  government  at  Pretoria  that  he 
had  retired  from  before  Mafeking  on  the  arrival  of  a 
superior  force.  Thence  it  was  telegraphed  through  Lorengo 
Marques  to  the  Cape,  thence  flashed  both  to  Lord  Eoberts 
at  Kroonstad,  and  home,  and  in  a  few  hours  the  English- 
speaking  people  throughout  the  whole  of  the  British  Empire 
joined  in  rejoicing  at  the  safety  of  the  heroic  garrison. 

Yorke  that  evening  received  from  Baden-Powell  a  despatch 
giving  an  account  of  the  incidents  of  the  siege,  and  the 
capture  of  Commandant  Eloff  and  his  party.  With  this, 
and  the  despatches  of  Colonels  Mahon  and  Plumer,  he 
started  at  daybreak  on  the  following  morning.  Uncertain 
as  to  the  position  of  Lord  Koberts,  he  kept  close  to  the 


350  WITH  ROBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

line  by  which  the  force  had  advanced,  and  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  fifth  day  rode  into  Boshof.  He  had  taken  with  him 
provisions  for  the  journey,  a  bag  of  oats  for  the  horse,  and 
a  canvas  bag  of  water.  He  was  twice  seen  and  chased  by 
small  parties  of  Boers,  but,  thanks  to  the  excellence  of  his 
horse,  he  left  them  behind  without  difficulty.  He  travelled 
from  daylight  up  till  eleven  o'clock,  halted  during  the  heat 
of  the  day,  and  at  four  started  again  and  rode  till  dark, 
and  by  this  means  his  horse  was  able  to  carry  him  without 
great  effort. 

He  found  that  Lord  Methuen,  with  the  greater  part  of 
his  force,  had  on  the  12th  moved  forward,  and  that  he  had 
reached  Hoopstad  on  the  17th.  Kroonstad  had  been  occu- 
pied by  Lord  Eoberts  on  the  12th,  and  the  force  still  at 
Boshof  heard  that  a  halt  had  been  made  there  until  the 
day  before  Yorke  himself  arrived  at  Boshof.  The  com- 
mander-in-chief  had  effected  the  passage  of  the  Ehenoster 
Eiver  without  fighting,  the  Boers  having  abandoned  the 
strong  position  they  had  prepared,  owing  to  their  being 
threatened  by  the  cavalry,  who  had  crossed  the  river  higher 
up. 

After  a  rest  of  eighteen  hours,  Yorke  started  for  Kroon- 
stad. He  scarcely  saw  a  person  during  his  long  ride.  The 
advance  of  Methuen  to  Hoopstad,  and  Eoberts  to  Kroon- 
stad, so  alarmed  the  Boers  that  they  had  for  the  most  part 
abandoned  their  farms  and  trekked  north.  The  majority, 
however,  of  the  men  capable  of  bearing1  arms  were  with 
the  commandos,  and  a  few  women  only  remained  in  the 
farmhouses.  On  the  third  day  after  leaving  Boshof  he 
arrived  at  Kroonstad.  Here  his  work  was  practically  over, 
and  he  was  not  sorry  for  it;  for,  excellent  as  his  horse 
was,  it  was  beginning  to  feel  the  terrible  strain  of  the 
journey,  having  accomplished  over  four  hundred  miles  in 
nine  days,  a  performance  that  showed  the  strength  and  en- 
durance of  the  horses  of  the  lofty  plateau  of  the  Free  State 
and  the  Transvaal. 


YORKE  RECEIVES   A  DESPATCH   FROM   BADEN-POWELL. 


MAFEKING  351 

A  strong  force  was  stationed  at  Kroonstad,  which  was  now 
the  base  of  the  advancing  army.  Going  at  once  to  Lord 
Methuen,  who  had  arrived  there  from  Hoopstad  two  days 
before,  Yorke  obtained  an  order  from  him  for  carriage  for 
himself  and  horse  in  a  train  that  would  start  at  midnight. 
He  spent  an  hour  relating  to  the  general  the  adventures 
he  had  passed  through  since  he  had  last  seen  him  on  the 
Modder. 

"You  must  be  well  mounted  indeed  to  have  got  down 
from  Mafeking  in  nine  days,  Mr.  Harberton.  Of  course, 
you  might  have  done  it  in  a  great  deal  shorter  time  had 
you  ridden  direct  from  Mafeking  here,  though  I  quite  under- 
stand that,  knowing  nothing  of  the  commander-in-chief's 
movements,  you  could  not  well  have  attempted  that,  for  you 
would  have  had  to  pass  through  a  country  we  have  not 
touched  yet." 

"  Yes,  sir,  it  would  have  been  only  about  half  the  distance 
— probably,  I  should  say,  even  less  than  that." 

"  Yes,  much  less.  We  only  reckon  it  to  be  a  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  from  here  to  Mafeking  in  a  direct  line.  But,  of 
course,  carrying  despatches  you  could  not  have  risked  that, 
especially  as  you  would  have  had  to  cross  the  Vaal,  and  you 
may  be  sure  that  every  drift  on  that  river  will  be  strongly 
guarded." 

"I  don't  think  I  should  have  come  much  quicker,  sir. 
For,  according  to  my  map,  the  country  is  a  great  deal 
rougher  than  that  through  which  I  have  travelled;  and  'as 
the  Boers  have  not  been  disturbed,  I  dared  not  have  ridden 
by  day,  and  could  hardly  have  found  my  way  by  night;  and 
there  was  no  road  marked,  leading  south-east  from  Mafe* 
king,  which  is  about  the  line  that  I  must  have  followed.  I 
knew,  too,  that  Lord  Eoberts  would  have  heard  the  news  of 
the  relief  of  Mafeking  via  Pretoria.  Had  it  been  other- 
wise, I  should  have  risked  the  attempt,  knowing  the  intense 
anxiety  throughout  the  army  and  at  home  as  to  the  safety 
of  the  garrison.  As  I  was  only  carrying  the  details,  two 


352  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

or  three  days'  difference  did  not  seem  to  me  to  be  of  impor- 
tance. Had  I  travelled  by  that  line,  I  could  only  have  hoped 
to  succeed  by  coming  in  disguise.  I  knew  that  Lord  Roberts 
hoped  to  move  from  Bloemfontein  two  days  after  I  left 
him,  but  there  might  have  been  fresh  misfortunes  like  that 
at  Sanna's  Post.  The  line  might  have  been  cut  in  several 
places,  and  he  might  have  been  so  delayed  that  he  would 
not  have  been  at  Kroonstad  by  the  time  I  arrived  there. 
May  I  ask  how  far  the  general  has  got  ? " 

"  He  crossed  the  Vaal  to-day  and  bivouacked  at  Vereenig- 
ing.  Generals  French  and  Hutton,  I  believe,  have  moved 
on  to  Rietfontein,  and  General  Ian  Hamilton  to  Rietkuil.' 

"  Then  he  has  crossed  the  Vaal  without  opposition,  sir  ? " 

"Yes,  the  cavalry  outflanked  the  enemy.  False  news  had 
been  spread  as  to  the  drifts  by  which  they  would  cross,  and 
the  route  they  took  completely  surprised  the  Boers,  who  had 
all  cleared  off  before  the  main  army  reached  the  river." 

At  twelve  o'clock,  Yorke  took  his  place  with  his  horse  on  a 
cattle  truck,  and  the  next  day  came  up  to  the  head-quarters, 
which  had  that  morning  arrived  at  the  Klip  River  Station, 
little  over  ten  miles  from  Johannesburg.  There  he  delivered 
his  despatches  to  Lord  Roberts,  who,  on  hearing  the  route 
he  had  followed,  complimented  him  warmly  upon  the  rapidity 
with  which  he  had  made  his  journey. 

"We  have  only  heard  the  bare  fact  that  Maf eking  has 
been  relieved.  Were  they  at  their  last  gasp  ? " 

"It  did  not  look  like  it,  sir.  I  do  not  know  what  stores 
they  had  remaining,  but  I  heard  that  they  were  pretty 
nearly  out  of  everything  except  oats  and  horseflesh.  The 
men  certainly  looked  somewhat  thin  and  worn,  but  by  all 
accounts  they  had  kept  up  their  spirits  wonderfully,  and 
confidently  relied  upon  succour  arriving  by  the  time  we 
named." 

"Did  Mahon  succeed  in  capturing  any  considerable 
force  ? " 

"No,  sir.    There  was  a  fight  outside  the  town,  but  our 


MAFEKING  353 

guns  were  too  strong  for  them,  and  they  fell  back  to  their 
entrenchments  on  the  other  side  of  the  town.  Colonel  Baden- 
Powell  attacked  them  there,  but  I  think  they  only  made  a 
stand  to  get  their  big  gun  away.  This  they  succeeded  in 
doing,  and  only  one  small  gun  was  captured.  If  the  horses 
had  been  fresher,  no  doubt  a  heavy  blow  might  have  been 
dealt  them,  but  they  had  had  a  very  heavy  march.  Cer- 
tainly the  four  Canadian  guns  could  not  have  pursued  them 
with  any  chance  of  coming  up  with  them,  especially  as  they 
had  abandoned  their  waggons  and  stores ;  and  Colonel  Baden- 
Powell  believes  that  they  sent  off  the  big  gun  the  day 
before,  and  only  fought  their  battle  with  us  to  give  it  time 
to  get  a  long  way  on  the  road." 

"  It  is  a  sort  of  conjuring  trick,"  Lord  Roberts  said,  with 
a  smile.  "  Heigh-ho,  presto !  and  the  gun  is  gone.  We  have 
out-manoeuvred  them  many  times,  but  never  once  have  we 
caught  one  of  their  big  guns.  Such  cannon  until  the  pres- 
ent war  have  been  considered  as  simply  guns  of  position  and 
wholly  out  of  the  question  in  military  operations  in  the  field. 
I  am  sure  I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  the  zeal  and 
activity  that  you  have  displayed,  and  shall  have  pleasure 
in  mentioning  your  name  most  favourably  in  my  despatches." 

On  leaving  the  general's  tent,  Yorke,  to  his  great  satisfac- 
tion, saw  Hans  standing  near.  "  I  saw  you  ride  in,  master, 
and  glad  I  was,  for  one  never  knows  what  may  happen." 

"I  am  also  glad  to  see  you,  Hans.  I  suppose  Peter  is 
here  too?" 

"Yes,  sir,  he  is  with  the  two  horses;  they  are  quite  right 
again  now.  I  didn't  ride  either  of  them  coming  up,  so  that 
they  should  be  as  fit  as  possible  for  work  by  the  time  you 
wanted  them." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that,  Hans,  for  this  horse,  good  aa 
it  is,  wants  a  fortnight's  rest  after  the  tremendously  hard 
work  it  has  done  since  I  left  you." 

(M839)  2 


354          WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

CHAPTER  XX 

JOHANNESBURG 

THE  difficulties  of  the  advance  were  now  past,  the  country 
was  almost  level  beyond  the  drift  station,  and  in  the 
distance  was  a  low  line  of  hills  on  which  tall  chimneys 
could  be  made  out,  the  chimneys  of  the  mines,  which  had 
brought  such  wealth,  not  only  to  those  who  worked  them, 
but  to  the  Transvaal,  and  which,  owing  to  the  greed  and 
avarice  of  Kruger  and  his  associates,  had  finally  brought 
ruin  upon  the  country.  So  far  the  resistance  of  the  Boers 
had  been  feeble  in  the  extreme.  From  one  point  after  an- 
other, carefully  prepared  in  every  way,  they  had  retreated 
with  scarce  a  show  of  resistance,  and  although  they  might 
nerve  themselves  to  fight  one  battle  in  defence  of  their 
capital,  it  was  certain  that  Johannesburg,  a  far  more  im- 
portant town,  would  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  invaders 
without  an  effort. 

Many  of  the  Free  State  men  had  left  the  retreating  forces 
of  the  Transvaal  and  remained  in  their  own  country.  Al- 
though they  had,  through  the  malign  influence  of  Steyn, 
thrown  in  their  lot  with  their  northern  kindred,  there  had 
from  the  first  been  no  real  heartiness  between  the  two  sec- 
tions, the  Free  State  men  declaring  that  they  were  sacrificed 
by  the  Transvaalers,  that  the  whole  brunt  of  the  war  had 
fallen  upon  them,  that  they  were  not  consulted,  and  were 
treated  rather  as  if  they  had  been  born  servants  of  the 
Transvaalers  than  as  men  who  had  sacrificed  everything1  for 
their  sake.  The  Transvaal  men,  on  the  other  hand,  accused 
the  burghers  of  the  Free  State  of  being  half-hearted  in  the 
cause,  of  being  backward  in  fighting,  and  not  to  be  trusted, 
accusations  which  were  certainly  unfounded.  The  one 
desperate  attempt  for  the  capture  of  Ladysmith,  had  been 
made  by  the  Free  State  men,  who  had  fought  with  greater 


JOHANNESBURG  355 

courage  and  determination  than  the  Transvaalers  had  ever 
done. 

Their  country  had  been  made  the  theatre  of  war.  It  was 
their  railways  that  had  been  destroyed,  their  property 
damaged,  their  farms  burnt.  They  had  been  placed  along 
the  Modder  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  British  fire,  while  the 
Transvaalers  had  been  posted  in  a  comparatively  safe  posi- 
tion on  the  British  flank.  They  a  civilized  people,  had  been 
lorded  over  by  one  inferior  to  their  foes  in  all  respects  ex- 
cept physical  strength.  It  was  small  wonder  that,  seeing  how 
all  the  assurances  that  they  had  received  had  been  falsified, 
all  their  hopes  disappointed,  all  their  feelings  outraged,  they 
should  have  refused  to  go  north  to  aid  in  the  defence  of  the 
country,  which  had  done  so  little  to  aid  them.  The  wonder 
rather  is,  that  they  did  not  retire  altogether  from  the  con- 
test and  accept  the  inevitable,  when  further  resistance  could 
but  bring  ruin  upon  them. 

Advancing  from  the  Klip  River  on  the  29th,  General  Ian 
Hamilton  found  the  enemy  in  considerable  force  with  guns 
on  a  range  of  hills  to  the  west.  The  position  being  too 
strong  for  cavalry  to  attack  alone,  two  brigades  of  infantry 
were  sent  to  their  assistance;  and  the  Gordons  and  the  City 
Imperial  Volunteers  with  the  greatest  gallantry  stormed  the 
heights.  The  fighting  of  the  Boers  here  showed  how  great 
was  their  demoralization,  there  was  no  such  resistance  as 
that  offered  by  the  men  who  held  the  kopjes  of  Belmont  and 
Graspan.  The  Gordons  had  nearly  a  hundred  casualties, 
but  this  was  caused  to  some  extent  by  their  advancing  in 
open  order  in  line  without  a  pause;  while  the  City  Imperial 
Volunteers,  who  were  exposed  to  an  equally  heavy  fire, 
advanced  by  rushes,  the  companies  in  the  rear  keeping  up 
a  heavy  fire  against  the  Boers  on  the  sky-line,  and  so  shak- 
ing the  accuracy  of  their  fire. 

Had  the  Gordons  used  similar  tactics  they  would  probably 
have  suffered  much  less  than  they  did.  While  this  action 
was  going  on  on  their  left  flank,  Henry  with  the  mounted 


366  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PBETOBIA 

infantry  moved  straight  upon  Germiston,  a  point  at  which 
the  lines  from  Natal  and  Johannesburg  joined  the  main  line 
to  Pretoria.  This  junction  lay  among  the  great  mounds  of 
mine  refuse;  these  were  occupied  by  the  Boers,  and  there 
was  some  sharp  fighting,  but  the  enemy  were  soon  driven  off 
in  gallant  fashion  by  the  dismounted  men.  The  feat  was 
a  daring  one,  as  it  was  impossible  to  say  how  large  a  body 
of  the  enemy  had  been  lying  among  the  tips.  The  way  being 
thus  cleared,  the  main  force  advanced  to  Germiston. 

The  next  day  the  7th  Division,  with  a  brigade  of  cavalry 
and  the  mounted  infantry,  were  established  on  the  heights 
north  of  Johannesburg.  Ian  Hamilton's  column  was  at 
Florida,  three  miles  west  of  the  town.  French  and  Hutton 
lay  between  the  two  forces.  During  the  day  Dr.  Krause, 
who  had  been  left  in  temporary  charge  of  Johannesburg, 
came  out  to  the  head-quarter  camp  and  agreed  to  surrender 
the  town  on  the  following  morning.  Early  on  the  31st  the 
formal  surrender  was  made,  and  Lord  Roberts  entered  the 
town  at  noon  with  two  divisions.  The  Union- jack  was 
hoisted  with  the  same  ceremony  as  had  accompanied  its  un- 
furling at  Bloemfontein.  Lord  Roberts  remained  there  but 
a  short  time,  and  then  rode  out  to  the  suburb  of  Orange 
Grove,  three  miles  to  the  north  of  the  town,  which  was  left 
in  charge  of  Wavell's  Brigade,  while  Mackenzie  of  the  Sea- 
forth  Highlanders  was  appointed  military  governor. 

Lord  Roberts  had  now  a  serious  decision  to  make.  The 
departure  of  the  main  army  to  the  north  had  emboldened 
the  Boers  of  the  Orange  Free  State  to  undertake  operations 
at  several  points  against  the  line  of  communications.  The 
speed  at  which  the  army  had  advanced  had  rendered  it  im- 
possible for  stores  sufficient  for  their  needs  to  be  pushed 
up  along  the  single  line  of  railway,  and  at  the  utmost  only 
a  day's  consumption  for  the  army  could  be  brought  up  in 
twenty-four  hours.  The  army  was  therefore  literally  living 
from  hand  to  mouth,  and  the  blowing  up  of  a  single  im- 
portant culvert  or  small  bridge  that  would  even  for  one  da^ 


JOHANNESBURG  367 

arrest  the  transit  of  trains  would  have  had  the  most  serious 
consequences.  Lord  Koberts  had  therefore  to  decide  whether 
to  content  himself  for  a  short  time  with  the  capture  of 
Johannesburg,  until  the  safety  of  his  communications  was 
assured,  and  a  supply  for  a  further  advance  accumulated, 
or  to  push  forward  at  once  to  Pretoria. 

He  chose  the  latter  alternative.  Delay  would  enable  the 
Boers  to  recover  from  the  demoralization  which  the  complete 
failure  of  all  their  elaborate  plans  for  checking  the  advance 
had  brought  about,  to  clear  Pretoria  of  its  stores,  and  above 
all  to  carry  off  the  British  prisoners,  some  four  thousand  in 
number,  with  them.  The  latter  was  a  very  serious  consider- 
ation, as  the  possession  of  so  large  a  number  of  prisoners 
might  have  been  used  by  the  Boers  as  a  lever  to  extort  more 
favourable  terms  than  they  could  otherwise  have  looked  for. 

Yorke  had  ridden  in  with  Lord  Roberts's  staff.  As  soon 
as  the  cheering  that  greeted  the  hoisting  of  the  British  flag 
had  ceased,  and  the  general  was  moving  on,  Yorke's  eyes, 
as  he  looked  round  over  the  crowd,  fell  upon  a  group  of 
familiar  faces,  and  turning  he  rode  up  to  them. 

"  You  do  not  recognize  me,  Mr.  Chambers  ?  "  he  said,  as 
he  dismounted. 

"Why,  it  is  Harberton,"  the  latter  exclaimed.  "No,  we 
none  of  us  recognized  you,  though  we  looked  very  narrowly 
at  the  mounted  officers  with  the  two  divisions;  but  we  did 
not  think  of  seeing  you  on  the  general's  staff.  Besides, 
your  uniform  makes  all  the  difference;  you  were  a  Dutch 
farmer,  you  know,  when  we  saw  you  last.  We  are  glad 
indeed  to  see  you,  as  glad,  I  think,  as  to  see  the  dear  old 
flag  hoisted." 

While  he  was  speaking  Yorke  had  shaken  hands  with  him, 
his  wife  and  daughters.  "Now,  of  course,  you  are  coming 
to  us,"  Mr.  Chambers  went  on. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  we  are  going  to  do  at  present,  sir," 
Yorke  replied ;  "  I  do  not  even  know  whether  we  shall  stay 
in  the  town  to-night.  However,  I  will  ask  leave  when  the 


358  WITH  BOBEETS  TO  PRETORIA 

day's  work  is  over,  and  I  hope  to  be  able  to  join  you  this 
evening,  by  which  time  I  shall  know  something  of  what  the 
movements  are  likely  to  be." 

"  And  of  course,  you  will  bring  your  two  men  with  you  ? " 
"With  pleasure,   sir.     If   I  manage   to   come,   they  will 
certainly  be  able  to  do  so." 

"  Then  we  may  expect  you  anyhow  this  evening  ? " 
"Certainly;  I  have  no  doubt  at  all  about  getting  away." 
Yorke  remounted  his  horse  and  rode  after  the  general. 
General  Roberts' s  quick  eye  had  noticed  him  ride  up  to  the 
party;  he  turned  round  when  Yorke  rejoined  the  staff  and 
motioned  to  him  to  come  up  to  him. 

"  So  you  have  found  some  friends,  Harberton  ? " 
"  Yes,  sir ;  they  were  Mr.  Chambers  and  the  family,  the 
gentleman  I  was  able  to  render  some  service  to  when  his 
house  was  attacked." 

"  And  I  suppose  he  wanted  you  to  go  home  with  him  ? " 
"  He  did  ask  me,  sir,  but  of  course  I  said  that  it  was  out 
of  the  question." 

"  I  am  going  out  to  Orange  Grove,"  the  general  went  on, 
"  and  it  will  certainly  be  two  or  three  days  before  we  ad- 
vance again.  I  don't  know  that  I  can  do  without  your 
services  altogether,  Harberton,  for  there  will  be  a  good  deal 
to  be  seen  to,  but  I  can  certainly  spare  you  now,  and  as 
long  as  I  stay  here  it  will  be  sufficient  if  you  come  at  nine 
in  the  morning,  and  you  will  always  be  able  to  get  away  by 
five  or  six  o'clock  in  the  evening." 
"  Thank  you  very  much  indeed,  sir." 
And  Yorke  rode  back  to  the  square.  His  friends  were 
just  taking  their  place  in  their  carriage  when  he  arrived, 
and  were  much  pleased  when  he  told  them  what  the  general 
had  said.  "  I  will  follow  you  at  once,  Mr.  Chambers,  when 
I  have  found  Hans;  he  and  the  Kaffir  will  be  just  behind. 
There,  I  can  see  him  now,  with  the  other  orderlies  and 
spare  horses." 
He  rode  at  once  to  the  party.  Hans  was  riding  one  of  the 


JOHANNESBURG  359 

horses  and  the  Kaffir  was  leading  the  other.  "This  way, 
Hans.  We  are  to  stop  at  Mr.  Chambers's  to-night;  you 
know  the  way."  The  carriage  had  waited  till  he  returned, 
and  he  rode  by  its  side  out  to  Parfontein. 

"I  thought  you  were  on  General  Pole-Carew's  staff,  Mr. 
Harberton?" 

"So  I  was,  sir;  but  when  Lord  Koberts  arrived  the  day 
after  my  return  to  camp,  he  took  me  as  an  extra  aide-de- 
camp and  interpreter,  as  Pole-Carew's  Brigade  was  not 
coming  on  at  the  time." 

"We  were  very  anxious  about  you;  but  we  had  a  letter 
from  von  Eensburg,  telling1  us  cautiously  that  our  friends 
had  arrived  there  safely,  and  had  gone  on  by  train  to 
Colesberg.  In  a  second  letter,  he  said  that  there  had  been 
a  fray  in  that  town,  and  from  the  description,  he  believed 
that  you  and  your  men  were  concerned  in  it;  but  whoever 
it  was,  they  had  got  away.  That  was  the  last  we  heard." 

"  We  did  get  off  safely,"  Yorke  said,  "  and  made  our  way 
up  to  the  Modder,  and  then  went  on  with  the  general.  Of 
course  we  were  at  Paardeberg  and  at  the  entry  into  Bloem- 
fontein.  Then  I  was  sent  up  to  Mafeking  with  the  relieving 
column,  with  whom  I  entered  the  town.  I  started  again  that 
night  with  despatches,  giving  particulars  as  to  the  siege  and 
our  march.  As  you  may  imagine  I  did  not  let  the  grass 
grow  under  my  feet,  as  I  was  most  anxious  to  rejoin  the 
army  before  it  arrived  here.  It  was  a  close  thing,  for  I 
only  overtook  it  at  Klip  River  Station  three  days  ago.  You 
have  had  no  more  trouble  here,  I  hope,  sir  ? " 

"  None  at  all ;  we  have  not  heard  of  the  matter  since. 
Not  only  were  the  three  fellows  here  sent  away,  but  we 
gave  such  information  that  those  who  got  away  in  the 
carts  were  arrested  in  the  course  of  the  day  and  all  five 
were  together  sent  down  to  Portuguese  territory,  so  that  the 
mouths  of  all  who  knew  anything  of  the  gold  here  were 
effectually  silenced." 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  that,  sir.    I  have  all  along  feared 


360  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

that  the  men  who  escaped  might  have  got  together  another 
band  and  renewed  the  attempt." 

"  They  would  not  have  caught  us  napping  again,  for  I 
arranged,  as  I  told  you  I  should  do,  for  three  of  the  engi- 
neers to  sleep  in  the  house.  I  had  intended  to  move  into 
the  town;  but  when  I  found  that  all  those  fellows  had  been 
sent  away,  I  had  no  longer  any  anxiety." 

"  Do  you  think  there  will  be  any  more  fighting  before  we 
get  to  Pretoria,  sir?" 

"  There  may  be  some  fighting,  but  nothing  serious.  The 
Boers  who  came  through  the  town  in  their  retreat  were 
perfectly  disheartened;  they  abused  their  commanders,  de- 
clared that  they  had  been  grossly  deceived,  and  that  it  was 
of  no  use  trying  to  stop  the  Rooineks,  for  that  they  would 
not  attack  them  in  the  positions  they  had  fortified,  but 
went  round  at  the  sides,  and  they  were  obliged  to  retreat 
at  once  to  save  their  guns  and  waggons." 

By  this  time  they  arrived  at  the  house. 

"  That  is  not  the  horse  you  rode  when  you  were  here,"  Mr. 
Chambers  remarked  as  they  alighted. 

"No,  sir;  Mr.  von  Rensburg,  when  I  started  for  Kimber- 
ley  on  my  way  to  Mafeking,  insisted  on  lending  me  this 
horse,  as  both  of  my  own  were  worn  out  by  the  work  they 
had  had.  It  is  a  splendid  animal,  and  has  carried  me  nobly, 
as  you  may  imagine  when  I  tell  you  that,  after  a  very 
rapid  march  from  Kimberley  to  Mafeking,  I  started  early 
the  next  morning  and  rode  down  to  Boshof  and  then  up 
to  Kroonstad,  a  distance  of  over  four  hundred  miles,  in  less 
than  nine  days.  He  said  that  I  was  to  ask  you  to  take 
eare  of  it  until  there  was  an  opportunity  of  sending  it 
down  to  Bloemfontein,  or  until  he  came  up  here,  which  he 
was  going  to  do  as  soon  as  the  roads  were  open." 

"  That  I  will  do  willingly.  I  dare  say  I  shall  hear  from 
him  now  that  the  line  is  open  again,  and  it  will  be  possible 
to  send  letters." 

They  now  eat  down  to  lunch,  and  after  the  meal  Yorke 


JOHANNESBURG  361 

gave  the  details  of  his  journey  down,  and  of  the  struggle  in 
the  yard  of  the  inn  at  Colesberg. 

"  That  was  a  fortunate  escape  indeed,"  Mr.  Chambers  said, 
"and  wonderfully  well  managed." 

"I  can't  think  how  you  do  such  things,"  Mrs.  Chambers 
remarked.  "You  do  not  look  more  than  eighteen,  and  yet 
you  seem  to  be  as  cool  and  as  quick  in  deciding  what  is  best 
to  be  done  as  if  you  had  been  employed  in  dangerous  work 
for  many  years." 

"  I  don't  think  age  makes  much  difference,  Mrs.  Cham- 
bers," Yorke  laughed.  "  The  games  that  one  plays  at  school 
make  one  quick.  A  fellow  sends  down  a  ball  at  your  wicket, 
and  while  it  is  on  its  way,  which  is  not  much  above  a  sec- 
ond, you  have  to  decide  what  to  do  with  it,  whether  you 
will  block  it,  or  drive  it,  or  cut  it  to  leg.  It  is  the  same 
with  football,  and  at  boxing  or  single-stick  you  have  to 
guard  a  blow  and  return  it  before,  as  one  would  imagine, 
you  had  time  to  think.  In  fact,  you  don't  know  yourself 
that  you  think.  I  should  say  that  a  fellow  is  quicker  and 
pooler  when  he  leaves  school  or  college  than  he  can  be  years 
afterwards,  when  he  has  altogether  got  out  of  the  way  of 
using  his  wits  in  a  hurry." 

After  talking  for  an  hour  Yorke  walked  up  with  Mr. 
Chambers  to  the  engine-houses. 

"  I  hope  we  shall  be  getting  to  work  soon,"  the  latter  said. 

"  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  some  time  before  you  do,"  Yorke 
replied.  "  The  country  is  still  in  a  very  disturbed  state  all 
down  the  line,  and  one  may  almost  say,  as  far  as  Cape 
Town;  and  I  am  afraid  that  it  will  be  a  long  time  before 
the  Boers  accept  their  defeat  as  final,  and  that  they  will 
carry  on  a  partisan  war  for  many  months.  It  will  be  im- 
possible to  guard  every  foot  of  line  for  nearly  a  thousand 
miles,  and  it  will  be  constantly  cut.  As  they  are  all  mounted, 
there  will  be  no  overtaking  the  raiding  parties  with  infantry, 
and  we  have  nothing  like  enough  cavalry  to  police  such  an 
enormous  extent  of  country.  It  will  take  a  long  time,  I 


362  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

should  think  many  months,  before  we  shall  be  able  on  the 
single  line  of  railway  to  do  more  than  feed  the  troops,  and 
until  all  resistance  is  crushed  out  it  does  not  seem  to  me 
to  be  possible  for  the  fugitives  to  return." 

"Well,  we  must  wait  as  patiently  as  may  be.  I  am  glad 
to  see,  by  the  news  that  we  have  received  through  Lorengo 
Marques,  that  our  shareholders  in  England  have  neither  lost 
heart  nor  patience,  and  that  the  fall  in  the  value  of  stocks 
and  mines  has  been  much  smaller  than  might  have  been 
expected.  I  own  that  I  have  had  great  fears  of  late  that  the 
Boers  would,  when  they  saw  matters  going  against  them, 
smash  up  the  machinery  and  blow  up  the  mines  as  far  as 
they  could.  There  was  great  danger  of  it  at  one  time,  and 
indeed  yesterday  I  feared  the  worst.  The  rabble  of  the 
town,  encouraged  by  Judge  Koch,  seemed  bent  upon  vio- 
lence; Botha  and  his  troops  had  retired,  and  there  was  no 
authority  whatever  to  keep  order.  Dr.  Krause  did  all  he 
could,  and  when  a  mob,  composed  almost  entirely  of  the 
lowest  class  of  Irish  and  Germans,  went  out  to  the  Robin- 
son mine  the  prospect  looked  desperate.  But  Mr.  Tucker, 
the  manager,  showed  great  tact  and  firmness;  and  he  was 
well  backed  by  Krause,  who  pointed  out  to  the  mob  that 
if  the  British  troops  when  they  entered  to-day  found  that 
the  mines  had  been  damaged,  they  would  probably  have  the 
whole  of  the  lower  portion  of  the  town  burned,  and  every 
man  who  could  not  prove  that  he  had  taken  no  part  in  the 
affair,  shot;  and  therefore,  as  there  was  everything  to  lose 
and  nothing  to  gain  by  the  destruction  of  the  mines,  it 
would  be  nothing  short  of  madness  for  them  to  commit  so 
useless  a  piece  of  mischief. 

"Happily  he  succeeded,  and  the  mob  returned  to  the 
town,  and  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  us  from  going  to 
work  again  as  soon  as  we  can  get  hands.  Of  course  the 
mine  has  been  somewhat  damaged  by  our  picking  out  all 
the  richest  deposits  during  the  last  month's  working;  but  as 
I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  be  able  to  get  a  few  hands,  aa 


JOHANNESBURG  363 

many  men  have  remained  here,  to  drive  headings  and  open 
new  ground,  I  do  not  suppose  that  there  will  be  any  falling 
off  in  our  output  when  we  once  set  to  work  in  earnest." 

That  evening,  after  the  ladies  had  retired,  Mr.  Chambers 
said:  "Now,  as  to  yourself,  Yorke.  From  what  you  said,  I 
fancy  you  do  not  think  of  remaining  in  the  army  after  this 
affair  is  over?" 

"  No,  sir.  Owing  to  the  death  vacancies,  I  am  now  senior 
second  lieutenant  of  the  9th  Lancers,  and  might  get  my 
step  any  day.  But  the  pay  even  of  a  first  lieutenant  will 
go  but  a  very  short  way  towards  the  expenses  of  a  subaltern 
in  a  crack  cavalry  regiment,  and  even  if  I  changed  into 
the  infantry,  I  could  still  hardly  make  ends  meet.  I  came 
out  here,  as  I  frankly  told  you,  in  order  to  make  money. 
My  father's  income  as  a  clergyman  will  die  with  him;  and 
above  all  things  I  am  anxious  to  be  able  to  assure  the 
future  of  my  mother  and  sisters." 

"  That  you  can  do  at  present,"  Mr.  Chambers  said  quietly. 

Yorke  looked  at  him  in  surprise. 

"  You  do  not  suppose,"  the  director  went  on,  "  that  such 
services  as  you  rendered  to  the  company,  and  to  myself  and. 
family,  are  to  be  passed  over  as  if  they  had  never  occurred. 
I  have  taken  all  possible  precautions  to  ensure  the  safety  of 
the  treasure,  but  I  do  not  say  that  they  would  have  sufficed 
had  those  twelve  men  had  possession  of  the  house  for  forty- 
eight  hours.  When  they  found  that  they  could  not  bale  out 
the  water,  they  would  naturally  have  supposed  that  it  was 
fed  from  the  cistern,  or  the  pipe  from  the  mine.  They 
would  have  found  out  the  latter,  and  by  turning  on  the 
kitchen  tap  could  have  emptied  the  former;  then  they  could 
have  baled  out  the  water  and  got  at  the  top  of  the  safe. 
They  would  have  had  trouble  with  it,  but  among  desperadoes 
of  that  kind,  and  especially  in  a  mining  district,  there  would 
be  sure  to  be  several  who  would  understand  the  use  of  dyna- 
mite; at  any  rate,  sooner  or  later  they  would  have  blown 
it  open  and  got  at  the  gold. 


364  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"I  have  written  a  letter  to  the  directors  at  home,  saying 
that  you  have  saved  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pounds 
worth  of  gold  in  an  attack  made  upon  the  house  by  a  band 
of  ruffians,  with  the  connivance  of  my  three  male  servants, 
who  were  cognizant  of  the  existence  of  the  store.  I  have 
recommended  that  at  least  five  per  cent  of  the  sum  thus 
saved  to  the  shareholders  shall  be  voted  to  you,  a  recom- 
mendation which  I  have  no  doubt  whatever  will  be  granted; 
especially  as  the  very  existence  of  this  money  is  still  un- 
known to  them,  as  I  have  not  ventured  to  say  a  word  in 
my  letters  concerning  it,  because  all  of  them  were  liable 
to  be  opened  by  the  Boer  authorities.  I  should  say  that  if 
they  are  at  all  liberally  inclined  they  will  vote  you  a  larger 
percentage;  but  at  five  per  cent  the  sum  would  amount  to 
twelve  thousand  five  hundred  pounds,  which  will,  you  see, 
enable  you  to  ensure  the  future  of  those  dear  to  you." 

Yorke  was  silent  with  astonishment  for  half  a  minute,  and 
then  said  earnestly:  "It  is  too  much,  sir;  it  would  be  out 
of  all  reason.  I  had  no  thought. ja£. doing  more  than  saving 
yourself  and  the  ladies  from  those  ruffians,  and"  no  thought 
of  reward  ever  entered  my  head."  " 

"  That  may  be,  Mr.  Harberton,  but  that  is  no  reason  what- 
ever against  your  accepting  the  money  that  you  have  fairly 
earned.  It  is  not  what  you  feel  about  it,  but  what  the 
shareholders  and  I — as  I  am  a  very  considerable  shareholder 
myself — feel  in  the  matter.  There  will  be  nearly  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  thousand  pounds  to  divide  between  us — a 
sum  wholly  unexpected  by  them,  and  saved  for  them  by 
you.  It  is  a  matter  of  only  the  barest  justice,  and  I  am 
sure  they  will  feel  as  I  do.  I  have,  of  course,  written  a 
full  account  of  the  affair — how,  although  an  escaped  prisoner 
and  in  danger  every  moment  of  detection,  you  went  out  of 
your  way  on  hearing  of  this  plot  to  hasten  here;  how  you 
in  the  first  place  overpowered  and  disarmed  my  treacherous 
servants,  and  then  warned  me;  how  you  and  your  two  men 
killed  no  fewer  than 'ten  out  of  the  twelve  men  who  attacked 


JOHANNESBURG  365 

us;  and  how  without  your  interposition  the  ruffians  would 
unquestionably  have  killed  me,  my  wife,  and  daughters  be- 
fore ransacking  the  place  for  the  treasure — a  matter,  by  the 
way,  that  would  have  been  a  considerable  inconvenience,  to 
put  it  in  no  stronger  form,  to  the  company,  as  they  would 
have  found  it  difficult  to  replace  me  by  anyone  having1  at 
once  so  intimate  a  knowledge  of  the  mine  and  so  large  an 
interest  in  its  success. 

"  And  now  we  come  to  my  personal  interest  in  the  matter. 
I  wish  to  make  you  an  offer.  I  have  no  son,  nor  have  I  a 
nephew  nor  any  near  relative  who  could  stand  to  me  in  the 
place  of  one.  I  propose,  therefore,  that  you  shall  be  trained 
up  to  take  my  place,  so  to  speak,  to  act  here  as  my  assistant, 
to  learn  the  business  thoroughly,  for  which  you  would  have 
ample  opportunities,  as  I  am  inspector  of  several  other 
mines,  in  which  I  have  also  interests.  When  matters  have 
quite  settled  down,  which  may  not  be  for  another  year  or 
so,  you  can  act  as  my  locum-tenens,  for  I  shall  certainly  go 
to  England  with  my  family  for  two  or  three  years.  I  may 
return  again  for  a  year  or  so,  and  shall  then  finally  retire. 
By  that  time  you  will  be  fully  competent  to  fill  my  place 
here  as  managing  director,  and  I  shall  transfer  enough 
shares  in  the  company  to  you  to  qualify  you  for  the  post. 

"  This  is  no  new  idea  on  my  part.  I  have  for  some  months 
past  been  thinking  over  returning  to  settle  in  England,  but 
I  have  seen  no  way  of  doing  so  without  seriously  incon- 
veniencing the  company.  I  now  see  a  way  by  which  it  can 
be  managed.  I  have  spoken  of  my  plans  to  my  wife,  and 
she  most  cordially  approves  of  them,  and  it  now  only  awaits 
your  decision.  I  may  say  that  I  hold  twenty  thousand 
shares  in  the  company,  and  that  I  consider  that  as  managing 
director  you  ought  to  hold  at  least  five  thousand,  and  that 
number  I  shall  transfer  to  your  name.  I  am  perfectly  con- 
fident that  you  will  do  full  justice  to  my  choice  of  you  as 
my  successor  here,  and  you  will  not  be  long  in  acquiring 
the  necessary  knowledge.  I  shall  regard  you  as  an  adopted 


366  WITH  EOBEETS  TO  PBETORIA 

son  if  you  will  allow  me  to  do  so,  and  I  can  answer  that 
my  wife  and  daughters  will  gladly  accept  you  in  that  posi- 
tion. I  may  tell  you  that  you  will  not  be  entirely  cut  off 
from  your  family,  as  you  will  be  able  to  take  three  months' 
holiday  every  year  if  you  like  to  do  so,  which  will  give  you 
over  six  weeks  at  home,  and  perhaps  you  may  bring  one  of 
your  sisters  out  with  you  to  keep  house  until  you  marry. 
What  do  you  say  to  this?" 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  say,  sir ;  your  kindness  is  so  great 
I  hardly  feel  that  I  can  take  advantage  of  it." 

"  My  dear  lad,  place  yourself  in  my  position  for  a  moment. 
Imagine  that  there  had  been  a  plot  to  kill  your  father  and 
mother  and  two  sisters,  and  that  that  plot  failed  by  the 
interposition  of  a  stranger.  What  would  you  have  felt  to- 
wards that  man?  Is  there  anything  that  you  would  not  do 
for  him?  And  if  you  had  been  a  rich  man,  as  I  am,  would 
you  not  have  felt  that  the  gift  of  five  thousand  shares — 
which  originally  cost  me  five  shillings  each,  although  they 
are  now  worth  more  than  as  many  pounds — would  have  been 
an  inadequate  expression  of  your  gratitude  ? " 

Yorke  was  silent,  and  after  a  moment's  pause  Mr.  Cham- 
bers went  on. 

"  You  must  think  of  us  as  well  as  of  yourself.  It  will  be 
a  grievous  disappointment  to  us  if  you  refuse.  Even  in  a 
pecuniary  sense,  I  consider  that  my  offer  to  you  is  an  ad- 
vantageous one  to  my  family.  My  stake  in  this  mine  and 
others  is  a  very  large  one;  every  penny  that  I  have  is  in- 
vested in  this  way.  At  the  present  value  of  shares  they  are 
worth  over  three  hundred  thousand  pounds.  It  would  be 
an  enormous  advantage  to  have  here  a  gentleman  on  the 
accuracy  of  whose  reports  I  could  implicitly  rely,  and  who 
would,  which  is  not  always  the  case  with  managers  of  mines, 
frankly  say  if  the  prospects  of  any  of  them  were  falling  off 
or  improving.  It  is  my  personal  knowledge  of  the  real 
state  of  things  that  has  enabled  me  to  do  so  well — to  get 
out  of  mines  whose  prospects  are  not  favourable,  and  buy 


JOHANNESBURG  367 

into  others,  perhaps  at  very  low  prices,  likely  to  do  really 
well  when  fully  opened.  I  should  not,  of  course,  wish  to 
obtain  reports  other  than  those  sent  by  you  to  the  boards 
of  the  various  companies,  but  from  what  I  personally  know 
of  the  mines  I  should  be  able  to  draw  very  valuable  deduc- 
tions from  those  reports,  and  see  the  drift  of  them  much 
better  than  men  wholly  in  ignorance  of  the  workings  to 
which  they  relate." 

"  You  need  say  no  more,  Mr.  Chambers,"  Yorke  said ;  "  I 
accept  most  gratefully  your  splendid  offer,  and  will  en- 
deavour to  make  myself  worthy  of  it.  But  I  hope  that  you 
will  allow  me  to  attend  to  my  present  duties  until,  at  least, 
we  have  captured  Pretoria.  I  could  not  in  honour  go  to 
Lord  Koberts  and  say  that  on  the  eve  of  possibly  a  great 
battle  I  desire  to  resign  my  commission.  The  war  may  con- 
tinue in  a  partisan  struggle  for  months,  or  even  for  years; 
but  with  Pretoria  once  taken  it  seems  to  me  that  there  must 
be  an  end  to  fighting  on  a  great  scale,  and  that  I  might 
therefore,  without  feeling  that  I  could  be  blamed  for  doing 
so,  leave  the  army." 

"  By  all  means,  Yorke ;  for,  now  that  you  have  agreed  to 
my  proposal,  I  can  henceforth  call  you  so.  If  it  had  been 
a  matter  even  of  months  I  could  have  waited,  but  I  believe 
that  it  is  one  of  days  only.  There  may  be  a  great  battle, 
for,  insignificant  as  has  been  the  resistance  of  the  Boers  to 
your  advance,  it  is  difficult  to  believe  that,  with  the  example 
of  what  Ladysmith,  Kimberley,  and  Mafeking  have  done, 
all  unprepared  as  they  were,  they  can  retire  from  a  town 
that  they  have  for  the  past  four  or  five  years  been  fortifying." 

"  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  they  could  be  so  cowardly,  sir, 
especially  as  they  would  know  that  a  lengthened  resistance 
here  would  enable  the  Burghers  of  both  states  to  rally,  and 
by  cutting  the  line  of  communications  speedily  reduce  the 
besiegers  to  the  greatest  straits;  and  indeed,  even  if  they 
could  only  hold  out  for  a  week,  the  position  of  the  army 
would  become  extremely  serious.  One  thing  is  certain,  that 


368  WITH  EOBEBTS  TO  PRETORIA 

if  they  do  not  fight  there  they  will  never  fight  with  any 
chance  of  success  again.  They  may  cut  off  convoys,  blow 
up  culverts,  and  harass  us  terribly,  but  it  will  no  longer  be 
a  war,  but  merely  the  efforts  of  bands  of  mounted  bandits." 

"Now  we  will  join  the  ladies,"  Mr.  Chambers  said. 

"My  dear,"  he  said  when  he  entered  the  room,  "you  will 
be  glad  to  hear  that  Yorke  has  accepted  our  proposal." 

"I  am  glad  indeed,"  Mrs.  Chambers  said,  shaking  Yorke 
warmly  by  the  hand.  "  I  began  to  think  that  we  should 
never  be  able  to  get  away  from  here,  and  now  I  feel  that 
there  is  a  prospect  some  day  of  our  doing  so.  My  husband 
would  never  have  gone  until  he  felt  sure  that  he  could  leave 
everything  in  the  hands  of  one  whom  he  could  absolutely 
trust.  Girls,  you  will,  I  am  sure,  be  glad  to  know  that  hence- 
forth Mr.  Harberton  will  stand  almost  in  the  position  of  a 
brother  to  you.  You  have  often  lamented  that  you  had  no 
brother;  I  don't  think  you  could  have  had  one  whom  you 
could  have  liked  better,  certainly  not  one  who  could  have 
done  more  for  you.  And  now,  in  another  year,  we  shall  be 
able  to  go  home,  as  you  have  always  wished  to  do." 

The  girls  both  looked  greatly  pleased. 

"I  am  glad  Mr.  Harberton,"  the  elder  said.  "We  both 
feel  how  much  we  owe  to  you;  and  if  you  will  let  us,  I  am 
sure  we  shall  both,  as  mother  says,  come  to  look  upon  you 
as  a  brother." 

"It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  say  so,"  Yorke  said;  "and  as 
a  beginning,  I  hope  you  will  in  future  call  me  by  my  Chris- 
tian name.  I  hate  being  called  Mr.  Harberton." 

"It  will  be  much  pleasanter  calling  you  Yorke,"  the  girl 
said ;  "  and,  of  course,  you  must  call  us  Dora  and  Mary. 
And  it  will  be  so  nice,  when  we  go  to  England,  to  meet  your 
father,  and  mother,  and  sisters.  Of  course,  we  have  many 
acquaintances  there  among  father's  business  friends,  but  it 
will  be  pleasant  meeting  people  who  can  be  real  friends,  and 
can  talk  about  something  else  than  mines,  and  levels,  and 
reserves;,  and  money." 


JOHANNESBURG  869 

"I  Have  a  bit  of  news  to  tell  you,  Hans,  which  I  think 
will  please  you  and  Peter,"  Yorke  said  when,  later  in  the 
evening,  he  went  out  to  have  a  talk  with  them. 

"  What  is  that,  master  ? " 

"I  am  going  to  stay  out  here,  Hans!  and  to  be  assistant 
to  Mr.  Chambers  on  the  mine." 

"  That  is  good  news  indeed,  Master  Yorke.  Then  you  are 
not  going  to  be  a  soldier  any  more  ? " 

"  Only  till  we  get  to  Pretoria,  then  I  am  going  to  resign 
my  commission  and  come  back  here." 

"  And  are  you  going  to  live  in  this  house,  master  ? " 

"Yes,  it  has  been  arranged  so,  Hans;  and  that  you  shall 
take  the  place  of  the  man  we  tied  up,  that  is,  you  will  have 
charge  of  the  stables;  and  Peter  will  be  there  too,  unless  he 
makes  up  his  mind  to  join  his  tribe  again." 

"  I  shall  not  do  that,  baas,  as  long  as  you  will  keep  me. 
Some  day  I  will  go  down  and  buy  a  wife,  and  build  a  little 
house  near  here.  I  have  been  so  long  in  towns  that  I  do  not 
want  to  be  a  wild  fellow  again,  and  live  in  village  kraals, 
and  eat  mealies,  and  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  walk  about 
and  carry  a  gun  on  my  shoulder.  A  stupid  life  that;  much 
rather  live  with  baas." 

The  army  remained  but  two  days  at  Johannesburg,  when, 
supplies  having  arrived,  on  the  3d  of  June,  an  advance  was 
made  to  Leeuwkop,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles.  On  the  morn- 
ing after  the  arrival  at  Johannesburg,  Major  Weston,  with 
two  hundred  Lancers,  had  started  to  endeavour  to  damage 
the  line  of  railway  between  Pretoria  and  Komati  Poort,  so 
as  to  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the  Boers,  but  they  came  across 
a  strong  body  of  the  enemy,  and  were  forced  to  retire,  after 
having  suffered  nineteen  casualties.  French,  with  a  portion 
of  the  cavalry,  started  on  the  2nd,  made  a  wide  sweep  round 
to  the  west  of  Pretoria,  and  after  repulsing  an  attack  by  a 
strong  force,  established  himself  to  the  north  of  the  town. 
On  the  4th,  the  main  army  advanced.  The  Boers  for  a  short 
time  held  the  river  called  Six  Miles  Spruit,  but  they  were 

(M  839)  2A 


370  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

soon  driven  off.  Some  guns  opened  to  check  the  pursuit, 
but  our  batteries  were  brought  up,  and  speedily  silenced 
them. 

The  Boers,  however,  menaced  the  flank  as  it  advanced; 
and  Ian  Hamilton's  Division,  which  was  marching  to  the 
left  of  the  main  body,  moved  against  them,  and  they  fell 
back  to  Pretoria.  As  the  army  approached  the  town,  a  heavy 
rifle-fire  was  for  a  time  opened  from  a  ridge  on  which  stood 
the  great  southern  fort.  But  as  the  latter  remained  silent, 
it  was  evident  that  its  guns  had  been  already  withdrawn, 
and  that  the  opposing  force  was  but  a  rear-guard  posted  to 
check  our  advance  while  the  town  was  evacuated.  This  and 
the  field-guns  that  supported  it  were  soon  driven  off.  Pole- 
Carew's  Division,  which  had  now  come  up,  swept  over  the 
slopes;  the  forts  were  found  to  be  abandoned,  and  the  goal 
of  the  long  march  lay  defenceless  before  them.  Here  a  halt 
was  made  for  the  night. 

After  dusk,  an  officer  with  a  flag  of  truce  was  sent  in  from 
the  Mounted  Infantry,  who  had  taken  up  their  post  within 
a  mile  of  the  town,  to  demand  its  surrender.  No  reply  was 
given;  but  at  ten  in  the  evening,  the  military  secretary  to 
Commandant-general  Botha,  with  another  general,  brought 
in  a  letter  proposing  an  armistice.  Lord  Eoberts  answered 
that  surrender  must  be  unconditional,  and  that  an  answer 
must  be  sent  in  before  five  in  the  morning,  as  the  troops 
had  been  ordered  to  advance  at  daybreak.  Before  the  time 
named,  on  the  5th  of  June,  Botha  sent  in  to  say  that  he  was 
not  prepared  to  defend  the  place  farther,  and  that  he  en- 
trusted the  women,  children,  and  property  to  our  protection. 
The  troops  at  once  moved  up  close  to  the  town,  and  at  three 
o'clock  Lord  Roberts  arrived  at  the  head  of  two  divisions. 

The  British  flag  was  hoisted,  and  the  troops  marched  past. 
The  general  established  his  head-quarters  at  the  British 
Agency.  The  15th  Brigade  was  told  off  to  garrison  the  town, 
Major-general  Maxwell  being  appointed  military  governor. 
A  hundred  and  fifty-eight  officers  and  over  three  thousand 


SETTLED  371 

men  were  found  in  the  prisons,  but  nine  hundred  had  been 
carried  off  by  the  Boers  in  their  retreat.  Orders  were  given 
that  these  released  prisoners  should  at  once  be  reclothed  and 
armed,  and  sent  down  to  form  part  of  the  force  guarding 
the  line  of  railway. 

Mr.  Kruger  had  fled  before  the  arrival  of  the  British  army, 
and  showed,  by  leaving  his  wife  behind  him,  as  also  did 
General  Botha,  that  he  had  no  belief  whatever  in  the  atro- 
cious calumnies  the  former  had  invented  regarding  the  con- 
duct of  our  troops.  Before  leaving,  Kruger  carried  off  the 
money  in  the  banks,  and  the  state  treasure,  and  did  not  even 
pay  the  officials  the  salaries  due  to  them.  After  all  his  boast- 
ing, that  if  the  British  ever  entered  Pretoria  they  would 
find  him  sitting  in  front  of  his  house,  his  despicable  conduct 
when  danger  approached  was  only  what  was  to  be  expected 
from  a  man  whose  folly  and  ambition  had  brought  ruin  on 
the  people  over  whom  he  ruled,  and  who  had  trusted  him 
only  too  blindly. 


CHAPTEK  XXI 


A  LTHOUGH  Pretoria  was  taken,  Yorke  felt  that  he  could 
-ijL  not  as  yet  offer  his  resignation.  The  position  was 
still  a  serious  one.  Botha  had  retreated  but  fifteen  miles 
away,  and  had  taken  up  an  extremely  strong  position,  with 
fifteen  thousand  men  under  his  command.  The  line  of  rail- 
way ran  through  it,  and  from  this  he  could  obtain  supplies 
from  his  rear,  and  if  need  be,  send  off  heavy  guns  and  stores. 
The  army  of  General  Koberts  had  dwindled  as  it  advanced. 
Garrisons  had  had  to  be  left  at  the  bridges  and  important 
stations.  A  brigade  garrisoned  Johannesburg,  and  another 
Pretoria.  The  disease  which  had  played  such  havoc  at 
Bloemfontein  had  accompanied  the  army,  and  had  thinned 


372  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

its  ranks.  He  had  but  fifteen  thousand  men  available  for 
striking  his  blow,  and  the  cavalry  horses  were  again  almost 
unfit  for  service. 

In  the  Orange  Kiver  Colony  De  Wet  had  some  eight  thou- 
sand or  ten  thousand  mounted  men  under  him,  and  waa 
raiding  the  whole  country,  capturing  towns  and  threatening 
lines  of  railway.  The  bright  side  of  the  picture  was  that 
Buller  was  now  advancing,  and  might  soon  be  expected  to 
clear  out  the  Boers  opposed  to  him,  enter  the  Transvaal,  and 
relieve  the  pressure.  On  the  7th  came  the  news  that  De 
Wet,  with  two  thousand  men,  had  cut  the  line  of  railway 
and  telegraph  to  the  north  of  Kroonstad.  Fortunately,  suffi- 
cient supplies  had  been  found  in  the  town  to  enable  the  army 
to  subsist  for  a  few  days.  Had  Botha  retreated  to  a  greater 
distance,  Lord  Roberts  would  have  waited,  as  he  had  done  at 
Bloemfontein,  for  remounts,  reinforcements,  and  stores. 
But  with  an  enemy  so  strong,  and  able  at  any  moment  to 
take  the  offensive,  the  general  felt  that  measures  must  be 
taken  without  delay  to  drive  him  away  from  the  neighbour- 
hood, and  accordingly  he  went  out  with  the  troops  on  the 
10th,  and  next  morning  attacked  the  Boers. 

The  position  held  by  the  enemy  was  on  a  long  range  of 
hills  that  could  only  be  turned  with  extreme  difficulty,  and 
the  cavalry  were  not  in  a  condition  to  execute  so  extensive 
a  movement.  French,  with  two  brigades  and  Hutton's 
Mounted  Infantry,  was  to  work  round  to  the  north-east  of 
the  enemy's  position.  Two  other  cavalry  brigades  under 
Broadwood,  with  Ian  Hamilton's  column,  were  to  advance 
on  the  right.  No  attack  was  to  be  made  on  the  centre,  as 
the  position  there  was  so  extremely  strong  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  carry  it  without  great  loss  of  life.  As  it 
turned  out,  the  Boers  had  posted  but  a  small  force  there, 
having  determined  upon  adopting  our  tactics  and  falling 
upon  both  our  flanks  while  we  were  engaged  in  an  attack  on 
their  centre.  Both  armies,  therefore,  unknown  to  each  other, 
massed  a  great  force  upon  each  flank. 


SETTLED  373 

The  two  cavalry  columns  first  came  into  action  with  the 
enemy.  French  found  himself  speedily  met  by  so  formidable 
a  force,  that  he  was  unable  with  the  two  thousand  men 
under  him  to  move  forward.  He  was  attacked  in  front,  rear, 
and  flank.  The  country  was  altogether  too  broken  for  the 
action  of  cavalry,  and  his  men,  therefore,  fought  dismounted 
and  in  open  order,  and,  aided  by  the  three  horse-artillery 
batteries,  they  kept  the  enemy  at  a  distance  all  day.  Un- 
able to  advance,  however,  French  made  no  attempt  to  re- 
treat, knowing  that,  unless  he  held  fast,  the  Boers  would  be 
able  to  throw  their  whole  strength  against  the  other  wing, 
which,  as  could  be  heard  by  the  distant  firing,  was  hotly 
engaged.  Night  came  on  before  the  firing  ceased,  and  the 
wearied  men  slept  where  they  lay,  and,  renewing  the  fight  in 
the  morning,  maintained  their  position  all  day. 

On  the  other  flank,  Broadwood  had  been  equally  hotly 
engaged,  and  with  difficulty  held  his  own,  being  hardly 
pressed  by  a  heavy  artillery  fire  from  front  and  left,  while 
on  his  right  rear  a  Boer  commando  attacked  him  fiercely. 
This  force  was  with  difficulty  kept  back  by  the  fire  of  a 
battery  of  Royal  Artillery,  the  same  battery  which  had  suf- 
fered so  heavily  at  Sanna's  Post;  but  as  these  assailants  re- 
tired, another  commando  came  up  and  pressed  them  hotly. 
These  were  charged  in  gallant  style  by  the  12th  Lancers, 
who,  though  their  horses  were  weak,  fairly  rode  over  the 
mounted  Boers  and  drove  them  to  flight.  The  guns  were 
saved,  but  when,  after  the  charge,  the  cavalry  re-formed, 
they  were  swept  by  a  storm  of  bullets  from  the  Boer  marks- 
men. Lord  Airlie,  their  colonel,  with  two  officers  and  seven- 
teen men,  were  killed  or  wounded,  the  former  being  shot 
through  the  heart. 

Another  threatened  attack  was  repulsed  by  the  Life 
Guards,  and  for  a  time  the  force  was  exposed  only  to  the 
fire  of  the  enemy's  artillery.  Hamilton's  Infantry  came  up 
to  the  support  of  the  brigade.  As  it  was  now  late,  Lord 
Roberts  determined  to  postpone  the  general  attack  until  the 


374  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

next  morning.  Although  they  had  gained  some  ground,  the 
day's  fighting  had  not  been  attended  with  much  valuable 
result,  except  that  Lord  Roberts  had  now  thoroughly  ascer- 
tained the  nature  of  the  Boer  position,  and  had  determined 
upon  the  point  against  which  the  decisive  assault  must  be 
made  the  next  day.  This  point  was  Diamond  Hill.  In  the 
morning  the  Guards  Brigade  with  two  Naval  twelve- 
pounders  reinforced  Hamilton,  and  its  commander  was 
ordered  to  move  against  Diamond  Hill,  and  then  down  to- 
wards the  railway  to  threaten  the  line  of  retreat  should  the 
Boers  maintain  themselves  in  other  positions.  Hamilton 
told  off  one  of  the  cavalry  brigades,  with  an  infantry  bat- 
talion, to  guard  his  right  rear,  and  the  other  brigade,  with 
some  mounted  infantry,  to  cover  his  right  flank,  while  with 
the  Sussex  and  Derbyshire  regiments,  and  the  City  Imperial 
Volunteers  and  the  field-battery,  he  advanced  about  mid- 
day against  the  Boer  position. 

He  was  met  by  a  heavy  fire  on  both  flanks,  and  a  continu- 
ous infantry  fire  from  the  hill  in  front.  The  infantry 
moved  steadily  forward,  with  the  Guards  Brigade  in  close 
support  behind,  and  by  two  o'clock  the  position  was  carried, 
the  Boers  falling  back  to  a  hill  covering  the  railway.  After 
two  hours'  fighting,  the  infantry  won  their  way  to  the  crest 
of  the  new  position.  Here  they  were  exposed  to  a  terrible 
fire,  and  with  difficulty  maintained  their  position.  The  Boer 
guns  pounded  their  line,  while  a  heavy  rifle  fire  swept  them 
with  a  storm  of  lead,  and  there  was  nothing  to  be  done  but 
to  lie  still  and  return  the  fire  as  best  they  could  until  aid 
came  up.  Meanwhile  the  artillerymen  were  working  with 
might  and  main  to  get  the  guns  up  the  precipitous  hill. 
One  battery  at  last  succeeded,  and  although  the  men  fell 
fast,  the  guns  were  unlimbered  and  opened  fire  upon  the 
enemy's  batteries.  Not,  however,  until  two  other  batteries 
had  been  got  up  the  hill  and  brought  into  action  did  the 
combat  become  equal,  and  as  the  afternoon  wore  on,  the 


SETTLED  376 

accuracy  with  which  our  shrapnel  burst  began  to  keep  down 
the  Boer  fire. 

General  Eoberts  decided  that  it  was  too  late  to  undertake 
further  offensive  movements  over  unknown  ground,  and 
made  his  disposition  for  a  final  advance  on  the  following 
morning.  When  day  dawned,  however,  it  was  found  that 
the  enemy  had  withdrawn.  The  cavalry  set  out  in  pursuit, 
without  much  hope  of  success,  as  their  wearied  horses  were 
scarce  able  to  carry  the  weight  of  their  riders  and  equip- 
ments. A  hundred  West  Australians,  however,  better 
mounted  perhaps  than  the  rest  of  the  cavalry,  and  more 
lightly  equipped,  followed  the  enemy  up  for  twenty-five 
miles,  and  gained  a  kopje  near  which  the  Boers  were  retreat- 
ing. As  long  as  their  ammunition  lasted  they  kept  up  a 
constant  fire,  killing  a  number  of  men  and  horses.  It  was 
singular  that  this  punishment  was  inflicted  upon  the  Boers 
at  the  very  spot  where  they  had  treacherously  surprised  and 
massacred  a  British  regiment  on  the  march  nineteen  years 
before. 

On  the  day  after  the  victory  the  army  marched  back  to 
Pretoria,  having  freed  itself  from  the  danger  of  immediate 
attack.  The  railway  communications  were  now  restored. 
Lord  Methuen,  on  the  llth  of  June,  attacked  and  defeated 
the  commando  of  De  Wet,  and  the  garrisons  along  the  line 
were  materially  strengthened.  Buller,  while  the  engagement 
at  Diamond  Hill  had  been  going  on,  had,  by  some  severe 
fighting1,  defeated  the  Boers  posted  on  a  strong  position  at 
Aliwal's  Nek,  and  the  same  evening  established  his  head- 
quarters at  Joubert's  farm,  four  miles  north  of  Volksrust, 
the  border  town  of  the  Transvaal. 

Yorke  had  been  busily  engaged  during  the  two  days' 
battle,  and  had  had  several  narrow  escapes  from  the  enemy's 
shot.  Twice,  before  the  guns  were  brought  to  the  crest,  he 
had  made  his  way  up  the  hill  on  foot  to  ascertain  how  mat- 
ters were  going  there.  A  ball  had  passed  through  his 


376  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBETOBIA. 

and  another  smashed  his  field-glasses.  He  was,  however,  un- 
touched, and  when  the  day  was  over,  he  felt  that  he  could 
now  resign  his  commission  without  any  appearance  of  want 
of  zeal.  When,  therefore,  General  Roberts  sent  for  him  in 
the  morning,  after  their  return  to  Pretoria,  he  determined 
to  speak  to  him  at  once. 

"  I  have  called  you,  Mr.  Harherton,  to  tell  you  that  I  have 
just  heard  of  another  vacancy  in  your  regiment,  which  will 
give  you  your  step.  I  congratulate  you  upon  it  heartily, 
and  I  only  wish  that  it  had  been  from  lieutenant  to  captain, 
in  which  case  I  should  have  pleasure  in  warmly  recommend- 
ing you  for  a  brevet  majority." 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,  sir,  and  your  kindness 
makes  it  all  the  harder  for  me  to  say  what  is  in  my  mind. 
I  am  desirous  of  resigning  my  commission.  I  only  accepted 
it  for  service  during  the  war,  and  although  the  war  is  not 
yet  over,  its  end  appears  so  near  at  hand  that  I  feel  that  my 
object  in  resigning  my  commission  will  not  be  misinter- 
preted. You  may  remember,  sir,  that,  when  I  had  the  honour 
of  relating  to  you  the  story  of  my  escape  from  prison  here, 
I  mentioned  to  you  that  I  had  been  able  to  render  some 
service  to  Mr.  Chambers,  the  managing  director  of  the  Par- 
fontein  mine.  I  saw  him  as  I  passed  through  Bloemfontein, 
and  he  has  been  good  enough  to  offer  me  a  post  as  his  assist- 
ant, which  is  likely  to  lead  to  great  advantages.  He  will 
himself  be  returning  to  England  with  his  family  when 
things  have  quieted  down,  and  is  anxious  that  I  should  go 
to  him  as  soon  as  possible  in  order  that  he  may  give  me 
such  instructions  as  will  enable  him  to  leave  matters  in  my 
hands  while  he  is  away.  I  had  in  no  case  thought  of  re- 
maining in  the  army,  as  I  have  no  private  means,  and  came 
out  here  to  make  my  way  in  business.  I  should  certainly 
have  preferred  to  stay  on  until  the  end  of  the  campaign, 
but  the  offer  made  me  is  so  advantageous,  that  I  am  anxious 
to  avail  myself  of  it." 

"Quite  right,  Harberton,"  the  general  said.    "You  have 


SETTLED  377 

already  shown  that  you  possess  all  the  qualifications  required 
in  an  officer  of  the  army,  but  it  might  be  a  long  time  before 
you  had  again  such  opportunities  as  those  of  which  you 
have  so  brilliantly  availed  yourself  during  this  war.  I  think 
your  decision  is  a  very  wise  one.  You  have  done  your  share, 
and  more  than  your  share,  in  the  events  of  the  war,  and 
have  very  markedly  distinguished  yourself.  It  shows  that 
you  have  as  much  common  sense  as  couragte  and  quickness- 
in  making  such  a  decision.  Many  a  young  officer,  if  he  had 
gained  as  much  credit  as  you,  would  have  had  his  head 
turned,  and  refused  even  the  most  dazzling  offer,  with  the 
result  that  years  afterwards,  when  living  in  the  dull  mono- 
tony of  a  garrison  town,  he  might  bitterly  regret  having 
thrown  away  so  valuable  a  chance.  Personally,  I  cannot 
accept  your  resignation,  but  I  can  give  you  leave  of  absence 
until  your  name  appears  in  the  Gazette;  and  I  do  so  all  the 
more  willingly  as  it  is  likely  that  we  shall  have  a  halt  here 
for  some  weeks  before  we  can  obtain  remounts  and  rein- 
forcements. In  sending  home  my  despatches,  which  I  shall 
do  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two,  I  shall  certainly  mention 
you  as  having  performed  exceptionally  brilliant  service. 
Should  you,  while  I  am  at  Pretoria,  have  occasion  to  come 
here,  I  shall  at  all  times  be  glad  to  see  you.  I  suppose  your 
servant  will  also  want  his  discharge  ? " 

"If  you  please,  sir;  he  is  still,  I  suppose,  on  the  books  of 
the  Cape  Town  Eifles.  He  was  not  transferred  to  the 
Lancers." 

Again  thanking  Lord  Roberts  for  his  kindness,  Yorke  re- 
tired, and  half  an  hour  later  started  with  Hans  and  Peter 
for  Johannesburg,  where  they  arrived  that  afternoon. 

"  Welcome  back ! "  Mr.  Chambers  said  as  he  came  out  on 
hearing  them  ride  up.  "  We  have  been  thinking  about  you 
very  anxiously  since  we  heard  that  there  had  been  a  two- 
days'  battle  and  very  hard  fighting,  and  knew  that  as  an 
aide-de-camp  you  would  be  galloping  about  with  orders  in 
the  very  thick  of  it." 


378  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

"  It  was  pretty  tough  work,"  Yorke  said,  "  and,  as  you 
see,  my  helmet  and  field-glasses  have  suffered,  but  I  had  not 
even  a  scratch." 

"  Thank  God  for  that !  Are  you  here  on  duty,  or  have 
you  come  for  good  ? " 

"I  am  here  for  good,  sir.  I  sent  in  my  resignation  this 
morning,  and  Lord  Koberts  has  given  me  leave  of  absence 
until  it  appears  in  the  Gazette,  which  will  of  course  be  some 
time  hence,  as  letters  will  have  to  go  and  return,  and  they 
do  not  hurry  things  at  Pall  Mall." 

"  That  is  good  news  indeed.  We  shall  all  be  delighted  to 
have  you  here;  and  you  must  look  upon  our  home  as  your 
home  now,  you  know." 

On  the  following  morning  Yorke  went  into  the  town  and 
ordered  civilian  clothes  for  himself  and  Hans,  and  bought 
a  suitable  attire  for  Peter,  and  on  his  return  began  work 
by  descending  the  mine  with  Mr.  Chambers.  He  threw 
himself  into  the  work  with  his  usual  energy,  and  during 
the  next  two  months  paid  a  visit  to  every  mine  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, Mr.  Chambers  explaining  to  him  the  run  of  the 
lodes,  the  reason  why  every  level  and  heading  was  driven, 
the  steps  to  be  taken  for  extending  work  and  endeavouring 
to  discover  other  lodes.  Before  descending,  Mr.  Chambers 
showed  him  the  plan  of  the  workings,  so  that  he  could  the 
better  understand  them  when  he  went  below.  When  not  so 
engaged  he  was  instructed  in  the  nature  of  the  books  kept, 
and  of  the  duties  performed  by  the  various  officials  of  the 
mines. 

"You  will  understand,  Yorke,  that  the  question  of  driv- 
ing levels  and  carrying  on  the  working  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
underground  manager,  and  is  always  discussed  with  me 
prior  to  any  new  steps  being  taken,  but  this  matter  is  not 
really  difficult.  It  is  only  on  locating  fresh  lodes,  deter- 
mining their  value,  and  how  they  had  best  be  worked,  that 
geological  knowledge  is  much  required.  The  discovery  is 
first  made  by  men  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  country. 


SETTLED  379 

After  determining  that  the  nature  of  the  ground  is  favour- 
able, they  sink  a  small  shaft  twenty  or  thirty  feet  deep  on 
the  lode.  The  samples  are  taken  to  the  assaye  office  in  the 
town,  and  the  proportion  of  gold  to  a  ton  ascertained  there. 
The  assaye  value  is  always  considerably  larger  than  it  will 
turn  out  on  actual  working,  as  much  fine  gold  is  lost  in 
stamping  and  other  processes,  though  the  greatest  care  is 
exercised.  Still,  if  the  assaye  product  is,  say,  three  ounces 
to  the  ton,  it  may  be  safely  calculated  that  the  actual  work- 
ing will  yield  at  least  two  and  a  half  ounces.  However,  you 
will  not  have  to  deal  with  this  question.  You  have  a  well- 
established  mine  on  a  fine  lode,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to 
make  any  serious  mistake." 

In  the  meantime  scarcely  a  day  had  passed  without  news 
of  fighting  in  the  south,  attended  by  varied  fortune.  De 
Wet,  in  spite  of  his  rapid  movements,  had  not  been  able  to 
seriously  injure  the  railway,  and  had  several  times  been  met 
and  sharply  repulsed;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  Delarey  had 
gained  a  success  at  Nitral's  Nek,  eighteen  miles  west  of 
Pretoria;  and  Grobler  had  cut  up  some  cavalry  to  the  north 
of  the  town,  while  twenty  miles  away  a  body  of  troops  of 
the  19th  Brigade  had  been  very  roughly  used  on  the  same 
day.  On  the  16th  of  July,  Botha  took  the  offensive  and  en- 
deavoured to  carry  the  British  positions  round  Pretoria,  but 
was  repulsed  with  considerable  loss.  There  had  been  a  good 
deal  of  fighting  farther  west,  and  also  near  Rustenburg.  In 
August  the  area  of  resistance  became  still  more  extensive 
and  active,  for  Lord  Roberts  was  accumulating  as  large  a 
force  as  possible  at  Pretoria  to  clear  the  main  Boer  army 
off  the  railway  leading  to  Delagoa  Bay,  and  the  forces  else- 
where were  necessarily  decreased. 

One  evening  early  in  August,  Yorke,  after  dinner,  went 
out  to  the  harness-room  as  usual  to  have  a  talk  with  Hans, 
and  smoke  a  pipe  by  the  bright  fire  that  was  always  main- 
tained there  during  the  hard  weather. 

"There  is  something  I  have  to  tell  you,  Master  Yorke," 


380  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

Hans  said.  "Peter  came  back  from  the  town  ten  minutes 
ago.  He  went  in  at  two  o'clock,  and  I  had  begun  to  wonder 
what  he  was  doing  there  so  long.  He  tells  me  that  this 
afternoon  he  saw  Dirck  Jansen,  and  the  two  men  who  were 
with  him  in  that  affair  at  Colesberg,  in  the  street." 

"He  did,  Hans?  Then  we  must  be  on  the  look-out. 
Dirck  can  be  here  for  no  good  purpose;  and  I  should  not  be 
surprised  if  he  has  come  to  carry  out  his  old  grudge  against 
me;  though  how  he  can  tell  that  I  am  here  is  more  than  I 
can  imagine.  Of  course  they  were  together  ? " 

"No;  they  were  not  far  apart,  but  as  they  passed  each 
other  they  neither  spoke  nor  looked  as  if  they  were  ac- 
quainted. They  were  not  dressed  as  usual.  Peter  says 
Dirck  was  got  up  like  a  town  Dutchman,  and  the  other  two 
like  Uitlander  workmen.  I  don't  suppose  we  should  have 
recognized  the  two  men,  though  I  should  know  Dirck  any- 
where. But  Peter,  like  all  the  natives,  never  seems  to  forget 
a  face  he  has  once  seen,  and  he  is  positive  about  them." 

"  I  wish  he  had  come  back  and  told  me  at  once,  Hans.  I 
don't  know  what  I  could  have  done,  but  I  certainly  should 
have  had  him  arrested,  because  he  is  a  British  subject  and 
a  rebel,  and  we  are  in  a  position  to  show  that  he  was  actu- 
ally in  arms  against  us.  He  can  have  no  protection  papers 
to  show  that  he  had  permission  to  return  to  his  farm,  and  he 
would  have  great  difficulty  in  explaining  what  he  was  doing 
here.  At  any  rate,  I  could  have  got  him  a  term  of  im- 
prisonment, though  I  do  not  know  that  that  would  be  much 
good;  it  would  only  add  one  more  to  what  he  considers  his 
grievances  against  me.  As  to  the  other  two  men,  I  could  do 
nothing;  they  are  probably  Orange  River  Colony  men,  and 
being  unarmed  and  conducting  themselves  peaceably,  could 
scarcely  be  arrested.  Still,  I  wonder  Peter  did  not  come 
straight  back.  Bring  him  in  here,  Hans;  I  should  like  to 
question  him  myself. 

"  Sit  down,  Peter,  and  go  on  with  your  pipe,"  Yorke  said 
the  Kaffir  came  in.     u  So  you  saw  Jansen  and  the 


SETTLED  381 

two  men  who  were  with  him  at  Colesberg  in  the  streets  this 
afternoon?" 

"  Yes,  baas." 

"And  they  were  not  together,  and  did  not  seem  to  notice 
each  other?" 

"  That  is  just  so,  master." 

"  I  wonder  that  you  did  not  come  and  tell  me  at  once." 

"I  knew  you  were  out  with  Baas  Chambers.  You  rode 
away  just  before  I  started." 

"  So  I  did,  Peter;  I  forgot  that.  We  did  not  get  back  till 
just  before  dinner.  I  remember  now  that  I  rather  wondered 
that  Hans  came  and  took  our  horses  instead  of  you." 

"  As  I  knew  you  were  away,"  the  Kaffir  went  on,  "  I  said 
to  myself:  'No  use  going  home.  Better  see  what  these 
fellows  are  here  for;  they  are  bad  men.  Dirck  Jansen  hates 
Baas  Yorke ;  must  look  after  him.'  I  had  no  fear  they  would 
know  me,  they  only  see  me  a  little  time;  one  Kaffir  boy  just 
like  another,  they  never  give  me  a  thought.  I  watch  and 
watch.  Dirck  went  twice  into  a  bar  and  had  drinks;  the 
others  went  in  once,  but  never  together.  At  six  o'clock  they 
all  went  to  railway-station;  I  go  there  too.  You  know  every 
evening  one  train  runs  to  Pretoria.  They  all  take  tickets 
and  get  in,  but  not  sit  together.  If  I  had  had  money  in 
my  pocket  I  would  have  gone  too;  but  you  know  I  never 
carry  money,  so  that  if  I  smell  spirit,  and  want  to  break 
my  promise,  I  can't  do  it.  So,  as  I  could  not  go  with  them, 
I  thought  it  best  to  come  here  and  tell  you  about  it,  then 
you  can  settle  what  is  best  thing  to  do.  It  not  safe  for  you, 
baas,  now  this  fellow  about.  Peter  remembers  his  face  when 
he  saw  you  in  that  yard.  He  hates  you,  and  would  kill 
you  whenever  he  had  the  chance." 

"  That  is  certainly  so,  Peter.  No  doubt  they  have  gone  to 
Pretoria  to  find  me.  They  may  have  found  out,  from  ques- 
tioning men  who  have  been  taken  prisoners,  that  I  was  on 
General  Koberts's  staff.  Soldiers  might  not  know  me,  but 
officers  would  know  my  name,  and  Dirck  is  crafty  enough 


382  WITH  EGBERTS  TO  PRETORIA. 

to  get  the  information  he  requires.  I  must  think  over  what 
had  best  be  done." 

He  sat  for  four  or  five  minutes  looking  into  the  fire. 

"  It  is  clear,"  he  said  at  last,  "  that  I  cannot  sit  quiet  and 
let  him  hunt  me  down.  He  would  have  no  difficulty  about 
finding  me.  He  would  only  have  to  go  up  to  a  staff-officer 
and  say  simply  that  he  was  an  old  acquaintance  of  mine 
and  wished  to  see  me,  and  he  would  be  told  at  once  that  I 
had  left  the  army  and  was  here  with  Mr.  Chambers;  then 
he  would  only  have  to  wait  to  get  a  shot  at  me.  This  time 
he  would  choose  a  hiding-place  so  close  to  the  road  that  he 
could  not  miss  me.  We  must  hunt  him  down  while  he  is 
tracking  me,  and  the  sooner  we  set  about  it  the  better.  We 
must  ride  over,  Hans,  there  is  only  that  one  train  that  takes 


"I  will  start  to-night,  baas,"  Peter  said.  "Only  thirty 
miles.  I  will  sleep  till  twelve  o'clock  and  shall  be  there  by 
seven.  What  time  you  get  there?" 

"I  shall  set  out  directly  after  breakfast,  say,  at  nine 
o'clock,  and,  riding  fast,  shall  reach  Pretoria  at  twelve.  I 
shall,  of  course,  put  up  at  the  hotel  in  which  I  stopped  when 
I  was  with  the  army." 

"I  will  be  there,  baas.  Perhaps  I  find  him  before  that. 
He  sure  to  go  to  street  near  generals,  that  is  the  place  to 
meet  officers." 

"  Very  good,  Peter ;  I  think  now  that  we  can  reckon  on 
catching  him  before  he  catches  me.  He  does  not  know  that 
he  is  being  hunted;  we  know  that  he  is  hunting  us.  That 
gives  us  a  tremendous  advantage.  But  we  must  not  be  in  too 
great  a  hurry;  he  is  a  deep  fellow,  and  may  be  here  on  some 
other  business.  If  so,  he  will  probably  finish  that  before  he 
returns  to  Johannesburg.  At  any  rate,  we  will  watch  him 
until  we  see  what  his  game  is.  You  will  have  to  do  this 
principally,  Peter,  for,  of  course,  he  knows  both  Hans  and 
myself." 

"  I  will  watch  him,  baas.    I  will  take  my  old  clothes  with 


SETTLED  383 

me  to-night,  so  that  I  can  change  them  when  I  like.  He 
might  notice  me  if  he  saw  me  often  near  him  in  same 
clothes." 

"  That  is  a  very  good  idea,  Peter.  Now,  I  don't  know 
that  I  have  any  further  instructions  to  give  you." 

Joining  Mr.  Chambers,  Yorke  told  him  what  had  happened 
and  what  he  proposed  to  do. 

"  I  think  your  plan  a  very  good  one.  As  you  say,  I  have 
no  doubt  his  chief  aim  in  coming  here  is  to  endeavour  to 
find  you  out  and  kill  you.  If  that  were  his  only  object,  I 
should  say  go  straight  to  the  head  of  the  police,  who  is,  I 
suppose,  the  provost-marshal,  and  have  him  arrested  at  once. 
But  he  may  also  be  here  to  communicate  with  disaffected 
inhabitants.  The  Boers  may  intend  making  another  attack 
upon  Pretoria,  and  if  they  could  arrange  that  at  the  same 
time  there  should  be  a  rising  there,  and  perhaps  houses  fired 
in  different  places  so  as  to  distract  the  attention  of  the  gar- 
rison, it  would  certainly  have  a  greater  chance  of  success. 
Therefore,  by  all  means  carry  out  your  plan.  It  would  be 
best  to  say  nothing  about  it  to  the  ladies,  it  would  only  alarm 
them,  and  they  would  worry  all  the  time  you  are  away.  I 
will  say  at  breakfast  that  you  are  going  to  ride  over  to 
Pretoria  on  business,  and  may  remain  there  for  some  days. 
I  will  mention  at  the  same  time  that  I  am  anxious  to  know 
when  it  is  probable  that  we  shall  be  able  to  get  a  few  of  the 
miners  up  from  the  Cape  or  Natal,  so  as  to  clear  up  and 
make  preparations  for  a  start.  They  will  then  suppose  that 
your  visit  to  Pretoria  is  in  connection  with  that." 

This  was  carried  out,  and  Yorke  and  Hans  started  early 
the  next  morning,  Mr.  Chambers  having  arranged  to  have 
two  of  the  engineers  to  sleep  in  the  house  during  their  ab- 
sence. Peter  met  them  as  they  rode  into  the  yard  of  the 
hotel. 

"  Well,  Peter,  any  news  ? " 

"  Yes,  baas ;  at  nine  o'clock  he  came  in  front  of  the  church. 
I  did  not  see  him  come,  I  was  strolling  about,  but  just  at 


384  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

nine  o'clock  I  caught  sight  of  him.  He  walked  up  and  down. 
I  say  to  myself,  'He  waiting  for  those  other  men.'  But 
presently  a  man  in  the  uniform  of  a  Transvaal  artilleryman 
came  along.  He  say  something  to  Dirck,  Dirck  say  one 
word  in  reply,  then  follow  him.  They  walk  some  distance; 
of  course,  I  follow;  at  last  they  go  into  small  house  half  a 
mile  from  the  place.  They  stop  there  two  hours,  then  Dirck 
came  out  alone.  He  looked  very  satisfied.  He  walked  half 
a  mile,  then  met  the  other  two  men.  They  talked  very 
earnest,  and  all  seem  pleased,  then  they  separated.  Dirck 
walked  away  again  and  went  to  another  small  house  quarter 
of  mile  away,  and  I  come  to  meet  baas." 

"Very  good,  Peter;  it  is  clear  that  Dirck  has  some  other 
business  in  view  than  that  of  seeking  for  me.  I  shall  go 
and  see  the  ouicc;'  in  charge  of  the  police  arrangements  at 
once.  As  I  know  Ziir.i  personally,  I  can  talk  the  matter  over 
with  him  more  comfortably  than  if  it  were  a  merely  official 
business." 

On  sending  in  his  card  to  the  provost-marshal  Yorke  was 
at  once  admitted. 

"  So  you  are  back  again  at  Pretoria,  Mr.  Harberton  ? "  the 
officer  said  as  he  entered.  "  Is  it  business  or  pleasure  ? " 

"Business,  and  not  of  r,  pleasant  nature.  I  should  have 
come  to  you  later  to  lay  the  matter  before  you,  and  ask  you 
to  arrest  a  man  who,  I  believe,  has  come  here  for  the  purpose 
of  taking  my  life;  but  this  morning  I  have  made  a  discovery 
that  seems  to  show  that  the  object  of  his  visit  here  is  of 
greater  public  interest  than  is  my  safety." 

"  Let  me  have  the  whole  story,  Mr.  Harberton,"  the  officer 
said;  "  there  is  nothing  like  getting  at  the  bottom  of  affairs." 

Yorke  gave  a  short  sketch  of  his  previous  experience  with 
Dirck  Jansen,  and  how  his  Kaffir  boy  had  met  him  with  the 
two  men  who  had  been  overpowered  by  him  at  Colesberg. 

"  That  certainly  looks  as  if  he  had  come  here  with  the 
intention  of  avenging  himself  upon  you,  Mr.  Harberton,  and 
it  was  well  indeed  that  your  man  recognized  him.  What 


SETTLED  885 

you  have  told  me  is  amply  sufficient  for  me  to  order  his 
immediate  arrest  as  a  notorious  rebel." 

"Yes,  sir,  and  that  is  what  I  intended  to  ask  you  to  do. 
But  the  case  seems  to  me  entirely  changed  by  what  my 
Kaffir  found  out  this  morning,  and  seems  to  show  that  he 
is  here  on  a  more  serious  business."  And  he  then  told  him 
all  Peter  had  noticed ;  how  he  met,  evidently  by  appointment, 
an  officer  in  the  uniform  of  the  Transvaal  artillery,  and  of 
their  long  conference  together. 

"  That  is  indeed  serious,  Mr.  Harberton,"  the  officer  said 
after  taking  a  note  of  Yorke's  report.  "Did  the  Kaffir  say 
anything  about  the  personal  appearance  of  this  officer?  A 
score  of  them  are  in  the  town  on  parole." 

Yorke  repeated  the  account  he  had  obtained  from  Peter 
of  the  man's  appearance,  and  the  address  of  the  house  they 
went  to. 

"  That  settles  it,"  the  officer  said.  "  The  man  is  Lieuten- 
ant Hans  Cordua,  a  German.  We  are  already  watching 
him,  and  I  am  surprised  that  I  have  not  already  a  report 
of  this  interview.  We  have  received  information  from  a 
man  who  is  trusted  by  them  that  a  plot  is  in  progress,  the 
object  of  which  is  to  get  up  a  sudden  rising  in  the  town, 
set  fire  to  houses  in  various  quarters,  kidnap  General  Roberts 
in  the  confusion,  and  murder  all  the  officers  as  they  issue 
from  their  houses.  We  know  that  Botha  has  been  in  com- 
munication with  him,  and  has  been  asked  to  bring  up  a  large 
force  close  to  the  town  on  the  night  when  the  affair  is  to 
take  place;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  this  man,  who  is  evi- 
dently a  fanatic,  is  here  in  reference  to  the  arrangements. 
I  am  only  waiting  until  I  hear  that  a  definite  date  has  been 
fixed  upon,  to  arrest  Cordua  and  the  other  leaders  of  the 


"It  is  a  desperate  scheme,  but  might,  had  we  not  heard 
of  it,  have  been  attended  with  some  success.  It  has  not 
advanced  very  far  as  yet — that  is,  the  leaders  have  not  yet 
taken  any  steps  to  excite  this  rising.  They  may  consider 

(M839)  2s 


386  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

that  this  could  be  done  in  a  very  few  hours;  there  are  cer- 
tainly three  or  four  thousand  men  in  the  town  who  would 
be  likely  to  join  heartily  in  such  an  enterprise.  About  half 
these  are  Dutch,  the  others  low-class  Germans,  Irish,  and 
French.  They  are  all  against  us:  in  the  first  place,  from 
an  intense  hatred  of  us;  and  in  the  second  place,  because 
the  stoppage  of  the  mines,  the  cessation  of  all  trade,  and 
the  departure  of  all  the  employers  of  labour,  together  with 
the  dearth  of  provisions,  have  deprived  them  of  the  casual 
employment  upon  which  they  subsisted. 

"  A  few  of  them  are  working-men  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
term,  and  certainly  a  good  many  were  employed  upon  the 
railroads  and  in  the  various  railway  yards.  These  men  are 
ripe  for  anything  in  the  way  of  mischief,  and  if  a  whisper 
were  passed  round  but  a  few  hours  before  the  rising  is  to 
take  place  they  would  join  to  a  man.  Our  discoveries  at 
present  are  a  profound  secret,  though,  of  course,  the  military 
commandant  and  the  adjutant-general  have  been  informed 
of  them,  and  we  are  to  have  a  consultation  at  the  command- 
ant's this  afternoon.  The  news  you  have  brought,  that  an 
emissary  from  without  has  arrived  last  night,  and  has  had 
an  interview  with  Cordua  to-day,  will  probably  precipitate 
matters,  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  Cordua  and  those 
concerned  are  arrested  this  evening.  It  would  be  as  well 
that  your  men  should  continue  their  watch  over  this  fellow 
Dirck  Jansen,  and  I  should  be  glad  if  you  will  return  here 
at  six  o'clock,  as  you  may  be  required  to  identify  him." 

"I  would  rather  not  appear  in  the  matter  personally  if  it 
can  be  avoided,  because,  badly  as  he  has  turned  out,  he  is, 
as  I  told  you,  a  nephew  of  my  cousin's  wife." 

"  I  will  take  care  that  you  shall  not  do  so  more  than  is 
absolutely  necessary.  The  evidence  of  your  man,  that  he  is 
a  farmer  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Richmond,  and  notori- 
ous for  his  pro-Boer  feelings,  and  that  he  was  with  the  rebels 
at  Colesberg,  would  probably  be  sufficient,  corroborated,  as  it 
would  be  as  to  the  latter  portion,  by  your  Kaffir,  who  could 


SETTLED  •     387 

also  prove  that  he  met  Cordua  by  appointment,  and  went 
with  him  to  his  house.  He  would  probably  not  attempt  to 
deny  these  points,  and  would  find  it  hard  to  give  any  ex- 
planation of  his  present  visit  here.  Of  course,  if  he  brought 
any  document  from  Botha,  we  may  find  it  when  Cordua's 
lodging  is  searched.  If  not,  he  probably  will  get  off  with  a 
few  months'  imprisonment  as  a  notorious  rebel." 

"  Very  well,  sir,  I  will  call  again  at  six  o'clock." 

Peter  went  on  watch  again,  and  just  before  Yorke  was 
about  to  call  on  the  provost-marshal,  met  him  with  the  news 
that  Dirck  had  been  hanging  about  head-quarters,  had  ad- 
dressed a  staff  officer  who  came  out,  and  that  the  latter  had 
taken  out  a  pocket-book,  written  a  few  words  upon  a  page, 
torn  it  out  and  given  it  to  Dirck.  When  Peter  left  him 
he  had  just  entered  a  small  German  beer-shop  a  hundred 
yards  away. 

When  Yorke  entered  the  provost-marshal's  room  the  latter 
said :  "  We  are  going  to  make  the  arrest  in  half  an  hour's 
time,  Mr.  Harberton.  We  are  agreed  that  the  crisis  might 
at  any  moment  come  to  a  head,  and  that  although,  now  that 
we  are  forewarned,  we  could  doubtless  suppress  the  rising, 
it  could  only  be  done  at  the  cost  of  a  good  deal  of  bloodshed, 
and  the  destruction  of  a  vast  amount  of  property  by  fire. 
Have  you  any  news  from  your  boy  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  the  Kaffir  has  been  watching  him  all  day.  He 
has  had  no  communication  with  anyone,  except  that  he  ac- 
costed a  staff  officer,  and  the  latter  wrote  a  few  words  on 
a  piece  of  paper  and  gave  it  him.  That,  I  have  no  question, 
was  my  address,  and  bears  out  my  idea  that  he  came  here 
with  the  twofold  object  of  arranging  about  this  plot,  and 
the  time  when  it  was  to  be  carried  out,  and  to  satisfy  his 
desire  for  vengeance  upon  myself." 

"  Well,  we  will  put  a  stop  to  both  these  matters  this  even- 
ing. I  will  send  six  men  with  an  officer  to  seize  him  at  this 
cafe,  if  he  remains  there.  At  the  same  time,  the  parties  will 
start  to  arrest  the  others;  they  have  been  watched  all  day, 


388  WITH  BOBEBTS  TO  PBBTOBIA 

and  we  know  where  to  lay  hands  upon  them.  The  arrests 
must  be  made  simultaneously,  for  the  others  would  fly  at 
once  if  they  heard  that  any  one  of  their  fellow  conspirators 
had  heen  taken  prisoner.  As  you  do  not  wish  to  appear  in 
the  affair,  your  man  had  better  accompany  the  party  to  this 
cafe,  if  he  is  still  there,  to  point  him  out  to  the  soldiers." 

"  Thank  you,  sir !  I  sent  my  Kaffir  boy  back  to  the  beer- 
shop,  and  Hans  has  gone  with  him;  he  will  at  once  bring 
me  news  here  if  he  comes  out.  But  I  should  hardly  think 
that  he  will  be  likely  to  do  so — unless,  of  course,  he  has  an 
appointment  with  Cordua  later — as,  when  a  Boer  sits  down 
to  drink,  he  generally  makes  an  evening  of  it.  However,  I 
will  g"o  down  now  and  bring  Hans  here  to  lead  the  party  of 
soldiers." 

Half  an  hour  later  several  parties  of  soldiers,  each  accom- 
panied by  an  officer,  started  from  the  police  station.  Hans 
joined  the  one  that  was  to  arrest  Dirck,  Yorke  followed  at 
a  short  distance.  Hans  entered  the  beer  saloon  with  the 
officer,  and,  pointing  to  Dirck,  said,  "  That  is  the  man,  sir." 

"  I  arrest  you,  Dirck  Jansen,"  the  officer  said,  "  on  the 
charge  of  being  a  rebel,  who  has  borne  arms  against  our 
troops,  and  of  now  being  concerned  in  a  conspiracy  to  effect 
a  rising  in  this  town." 

Dirck  leaped  to  his  feet  with  a  fierce  oath ;  but  the  officer, 
warned  of  the  desperate  character  of  the  man,  had  given 
orders  to  the  soldiers  who  accompanied  him,  and  two  rifles 
were  levelled  at  him.  With  another  curse  Dirck  said,  "I 
surrender." 

"  There  is  a  pistol  in  the  fellow's  jacket,"  the  officer  said. 
"  Just  search  his  pockets,  sergeant." 

The  latter  did  so,  as  Dirck  remained  silent  and  sullen, 
and  a  loaded  revolver  was  produced  from  his  pocket.  "  Now, 
put  the  prisoner  in  the  centre  of  the  squad,  sergeant;  he  is 
to  be  marched  to  the  prison  at  once." 

As  they  came  along  past  the  spot  where  Yorke  was  stand- 
ing, some  forty  yards  away,  Dirck  recognized  him  by  the 


SETTLED  389 

light  of  a  shop  window  close  by.  He  uttered  a  hoarse  shout 
of  rage,  snatched  a  knife  that  was  hidden  in  his  trousers- 
belt,  burst  through  the  soldiers,  and  rushed  at  Yorke.  The 
latter  was  unarmed,  but  he  stood  still,  bracing  himself  to 
meet  the  attack.  Dirck  was  within  six  feet  of  him  when 
three  shots  rang  out.  The  officer  had  used  his  revolver,  and 
two  of  the  men  their  rifles.  All  three  bullets  took  effect,  and 
Dirck  fell  dead  at  Yorke's  feet. 

"  That  was  a  narrow  escape,"  the  officer  said.  "  I  am 
sorry  we  had  to  shoot  him,  for  we  might  have  got  some  in- 
formation from  him.  However,  it  will  save  trouble.  Bring 
him  along,  men;  his  clothes  will  all  have  to  be  carefully 
searched." 

The  body  was  taken  in  the  first  place  to  the  provost- 
marshal's  office  and  there  searched,  but  nothing  was  found 
upon  him  save  a  small  piece  of  paper,  on  which,  as  Yorke 
had  suspected,  were  only  the  words,  "  Mr.  Harberton,  with 
Mr.  Chambers,  Parfontein  Mine." 

"  Now  you  can  go  back  and  sleep  in  peace,  Mr.  Harberton," 
the  provost-marshal  said.  "  He  nearly  had  his  revenge  at 
the  last  moment,  for  Mr.  Williams  reported  to  me  that  he 
was  within  a  couple  of  yards  of  you,  and  that,  had  he  and 
the  soldiers  not  fired,  your  life  would  have  been  sacrificed." 

"  It  might  have  been,  sir,  but  I  fancy  I  could  have  caught 
his  wrist.  As  I  told  you,  I  have  got  the  better  of  him  twice, 
and  I  think  I  might  have  managed  him  a  third  time;  but  it 
is  just  as  well  not  to  have  had  to  try  it.  Anyhow,  I  am 
heartily  glad  he  has  met  his  end,  for  I  felt  I  should  always 
be  in  danger  as  long  as  he  lived,  as  he  was  not  a  man  who 
would  ever  forgive  what  he  considered  an  injury." 

The  following  morning  Yorke  returned  to  Johannesburg. 

"  What !  back  so  soon,  Yorke  ? "  Mr.  Chambers  said  as  he 
entered  the  house. 

"  Yes,  the  business  is  finished.  There  was  a  plot  to  carry 
off  Lord  Eoberts,  fire  the  town,  and  kill  all  the  officers. 
Dirck  was  mixed  up  in  it.  He  was  arrested,  and,  seeing  me, 


390  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

tried  to  kill  me,  but  the  guard  from  whom  he  broke  away 
shot  him  just  in  time,  so  there  is  no  more  trouble  to  be  feared 
from  him.  The  other  heads  of  the  conspiracy  were  arrested 
in  the  evening,  so  I  hope  all  danger  of  that  sort  is  at  an  end." 

At  last  all  was  ready  for  the  general  advance.  Lord  Kit- 
chener had  been  almost  ubiquitous  for  the  past  three  months, 
and  wherever  the  situation  was  grave  he  was  certain  to  make 
his  appearance,  and  by  his  masterly  arrangements  set  mat- 
ters straight.  The  work  of  chasing  De  Wet  and  Delarey 
had  been  steadily  maintained,  and  although  by  swift  and 
constant  turnings  they  had  evaded  their  pursuers,  they  had 
at  least  been  prevented  from  seriously  interfering  with  the 
railway,  and  keeping  reinforcements  of  men,  and  remounts 
for  the  cavalry,  and  stores,  from  arriving  at  Johannesburg. 
Buller  had  been  advancing  steadily  north,  fighting  almost 
incessantly,  and  was  reinforced  by  Lord  Roberts,  who  held  a 
conference  with  him  at  Belfast,  and  communicated  to  him 
his  plan  for  combined  action. 

The  country  to  be  traversed  was  difficult  in  the  extreme, 
and  the  Boer  position  almost  as  strong  as  it  had  bee/i  before 
Ladysmith.  The  fighting  began  on  the  26th  of  August. 
Some  ground  was  gained,  and  on  the  following  morning 
Buller  launched  his  infantry  against  the  strong  ridge  held 
by  the  enemy.  Pole-Carew  attacked  the  centre,  and  French, 
with  two  cavalry  brigades,  the  left.  The  Boers  for  a  time 
defended  themselves  well,  and  the  colonel  of  the  Kifles,  with 
eight  other  officers  and  seventy  men,  were  killed  or  wounded, 
but  on  the  following  day  the  enemy  were  retreating  all  along 
the  line.  French  pushed  on  with  his  cavalry  to  Water- 
valonder,  and  was  there  joined  by  eighteen  hundred  British 
prisoners,  which  number  included  the  nine  hundred  carried 
off  from  Pretoria,  the  rest  having  been  captured  in  the  many 
fights  that  had  taken  place  since. 

On  September  3d  Lord  Eoberts  sent  Ian  Hamilton  to  turn 
the  position  of  the  Boers  facing  Buller.  Strong  as  it  was  it 
was  captured  with  comparatively  little  loss.  A  week  later 


SETTLED  391 

Kruger  fled  to  Lorengo  Marques,  forsaking  the  country  he 
had  ruined  and  the  people  he  had  deceived,  caring  only  to 
cling  to  his  ill-gotten  treasures.  Already  Lord  Roberts  had 
issued  the  proclamation  of  annexation.  On  September  24th 
Pole-Carew  with  the  Guards  marched  into  Komati  Poort. 

From  this  moment  the  war  as  a  war  was  over;  fighting 
continued  for  months,  but  it  was  guerrilla  warfare.  Botha 
still  held  a  force  together,  De  Wet  and  Delarey  still  carried 
out  dashing  raids;  and  although  early  in  December  Lord 
Roberts  returned  home,  and  Kitchener  became  commander- 
in-chief,  matters  were  still  unsettled.  The  efforts  of  our 
infantry  to  come  up  with  the  mobile  Boers,  who  were  always 
able  to  obtain  remounts  from  the  farmers,  were  altogether 
useless.  The  cavalry  were  too  few  to  restrain  the  operations 
of  a  foe  who  could  move  rapidly  from  place  to  place  over 
many  square  miles,  strike  a  blow,  and  disappear,  and  twenty 
thousand  more  mounted  men,  besides  other  reinforcements, 
were  sent  out  from  England  in  the  spring  of  1901. 

Before  these  troops  arrived  De  Wet,  after  the  incursion 
into  Cape  Colony  in  hopes  of  getting  the  Boers  to  rise,  was 
beaten  again  and  again,  and  escaped  with  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty back  into  the  Orange  River  Colony.  This  put  an  end 
to  the  guerrilla  fighting  on  a  large  scale. 

"  It  may  be  months  before  we  can  get  fairly  to  work 
again,"  Mr.  Chambers  said  one  morning  early  in  December, 
"  and  I  am  resolved,  therefore,  to  go  home  with  my  wife  and 
the  girls.  I  shall  stay  there  with  them  only  until  leave  is 
given  for  the  mining  population  to  return.  Then  I  shall 
leave  them  in  England  and  come  back — at  any  rate,  until 
everything  is  again  in  thorough  working  order." 

He  had  in  November  received  news  that  the  directors  had 
granted  Yorke  the  five  per  cent  commission  that  he  had 
recommended,  and  that  the  general  meeting  of  shareholders 
had  unanimously  confirmed  their  action.  Yorke  had  written 
home  to  his  parents,  and  had  received  an  answer  saying  how 
delighted  they  were  to  hear  that  he  was  done  with  the  fight- 


392  WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

ing.  He  had  now  the  pleasure  of  sending  his  father  an  order 
to  receive  seven  thousand  pounds  of  his  money  lying  in  the 
hands  of  the  company,  and  requesting  him  to  invest  it  in 
the  name  of  his  mother.  In  January  he  had  a  visitor,  for 
to  his  surprise  one  day  Mr.  Almutt  walked  in.  He  was 
dressed  in  deep  mourning. 

"  Why,  uncle,  who  would  have  thought  of  seeing  you ! 
This  is  a  pleasure." 

"  Well,  I  got  your  letter  a  fortnight  ago,  saying  that  you 
were  a  sort  of  locum-tenens  here,  and  I  determined  to  run 
up  and  see  you  before  I  went  back  to  England.  Your  aunt 
died  suddenly  a  month  before.  The  utter  disappointment  of 
her  hopes  broke  her  down  altogether,  and  she  had  aged  ten 
years  in  appearance.  She  had  learned  of  the  death  of  Dirck 
from  two  men  who  went  from  here  with  him.  They  said 
that  he  was  shot  in  the  streets  of  Pretoria,  where  he  had 
gone,  it  seems,  to  take  part  in  that  abominable  plot.  Two 
days  later  she  was  found  dead  in  her  bed.  She  had  altered 
her  will  after  that  affair  between  you  and  Dirck,  and  had 
appointed  another  cousin,  a  very  decent  fellow,  her  heir. 
He  had  been  in  grave  disfavour  on  account  of  his  loyalist 
opinions,  but  she  had  come  to  see  that  he  was  right;  and  at 
any  rate,  I  am  very  pleased  that  he  has  come  into  the  place 
instead  of  Dirck.  He  has  made  a  very  satisfactory  arrange- 
ment with  me,  and  with  the  income  I  shall  draw  from  the 
farm,  and  my  savings,  I  can  live  very  comfortably  in  Eng- 
land. Of  course  now,  from  what  you  told  me  in  your  last 
letter,  you  would  have  no  idea  of  settling  down  as  a  farmer." 

"  No,  indeed,  uncle.  I  have  a  splendid  position  here  before 
me,  and  I  hope  that,  by  the  time  I  am  thirty,  I  too  may  re- 
turn and  settle  in  England." 

Mr.  Chambers  came  back  in  September,  and  mining  opera- 
tions were  soon  in  full  swing.  "  Dora,"  he  said  to  Yorke,  "  is 
going  to  be  married  at  Christmas  to  an  officer  who  went 
home  in  the  same  ship  with  us.  My  wife  and  Mary  are  com- 


SETTLED  393 

ing  back  two  or  three  months  later;  I  shall  get  you  to  go 
down  to  Durban  to  meet  them." 

"  Why,  I  thought  they  were  going  to  stay  in  England  ? " 
"  Well,  they  have  changed  their  minds.  They  both  were 
in  favour  of  coming  back  for  a  year  or  two,  till  I  could  go 
home  for  good.  Mary  was  especially  anxious  to  do  so ; "  and 
he  smiled  quietly,  and  Yorke  coloured.  Maybe,  possibly, 
Mr.  Chambers  and  his  wife  had  talked  the  matter  over,  and 
something  may  come  of  it  some  day. 


"  Wherever  English  is  spoken  one  imagines  that  Mr.  Henty's 
name  is  known.  One  cannot  enter  a  schoolroom  or  look  at  a 
boy's  bookshelf  without  seeing  half-a-dozen  of  his  familiar 
volumes.  Mr.  Henty  is  no  doubt  the  most  successful  writer 
for  boys,  and  the  one  to  whose  new  volumes  they  look  forward 
every  Christmas  with  most  pleasure." — Review  of  Reviews* 


A   LIST    OF    BOOKS 
FOR  YOUNG   PEOPLE 


By 


G.  A.  HENTY  GORDON  STABLES 

G.  M.  FENN  ROBERT  LEIGHTON 

S.  BARING-GOULD  HARRY    COLLINGWOOD 

KIRK   MUNROE  ROSA    MULHOLLAND 

F.    FRANKFORT     MOORE  ALICE  CORKRAN,  ETC. 

Published  by 

CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 

J53  to  J57  Fifth  Avenue          *  *         New  York 


G.  A.  HENTY'S  NEW  STORIES  FOR  I90H902 


"His  books   have  at  once  the  solidity  of  history  and  the  charm  of 
romance.'  —Joui~nal  of  Education. 


WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

A  Story  of  the   Boer   War.     By  G.   A.    HENTY.     With   12 
Illustrations.     31.25  net. 

The  Boer  War  gives  Mr.  Henty  an  unexcelled  opportunity  for  a 
thrilling  story  of  present-day  interest  which  the  author  could  not  fail  to 
take  advantage  of.  Every  boy  reader  will  find  this  account  of  the  ad- 
ventures of  the  young  hero  most  exciting,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a 
wonderfully  accurate  description  of  Lord  Roberts's  campaign  to  Pretoria. 
Boys  have  found  history  in  the  dress  Mr.  Henty  gives  it  anything  but 
dull,  and  the  present  book  is  no  exception  to  the  rule. 

AT  THE  POINT  OF  THE  BAYONET 

A  Story  of  the  British  Conquest  of  India.     By  G.  A.  HENTY. 
Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.25  net. 

One  hundred  years  ago  the  rule  of  the  British  in  India  was  only  partly 
established.  The  powerful  Mahrattas  were  unsubdued,  and  with  their 
skill  in  intrigue,  and  great  military  power,  they  were  exceedingly  danger- 
ous. The  story  of  ''At  the  Point  of  the  Bayonet"  begins  with 
the  attempt  to  conquer  this  powerful  people.  Harry  Lindsay,  an 
infant  when  his  father  and  mother  were  killed,  was  saved  by  bis 
Mahratta  ayah,  who  carried  him  to  her  own  people,  and  brought  him  up 
as  a  native.  She  taught  him  as  best  she  could,  and.  having  told  him  his 
parentage,  sent  him  to  Bombay  to  be  educated.  At  sixteen  he  obtained 
a  commission  in  the  English  Army,  and  his  knowledge  of  the  Mahratta 
tongue  combined  with  his  ability  and  bravery  enabled  him  to  render 
great  service  in  the  Mahratta  War,  and  carried  him,  through  many 
frightful  perils  by  land  and  sea,  to  high  rank. 

TO  HERAT  AND  CABUL 

A  Story  of  the  First  Afghan  War.     By  G.  A.  HENTT.     With 
Illustrations.     12mo.  $1.25  net. 

The  greatest  defeat  ever  experienced  by  the  British  Army  was  that  in 
the  Mountain  Passes  of  Afghanistan.  Angus  Cameron,  the  hero  of  this 
book,  having  been  captured  by  the  friendly  Afghans,  was  compelled 
to  be  a  witness  of  the  calamity.  His  whole  story  is  an  intensely  interest- 
ing one,  from  his  boyhood  in  Persia  ;  his  employment  under  the  Govern- 
ment at  Herat ;  through  the  defense  of  that  town  against  the  Persians  ; 
to  Cabul,  where  he  shared  in  all  the  events  which  ended  in  the  awful  march 
through  the  Passes,  from  which  but  one  man  escaped.  Angus  is  always 
at  the  point  of  danger,  and  whether  in  battle  or  in  hazardous  expedition* 
shows  how  much  a  brave  youth,  full  of  resources,  can  do,  even  with  »o 
treacherous  a  foe.  His  dangers  and  adventures  are  thrilling,  and  hi» 
escapes  marvellous. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


G.  A.  HENTY'S  POPULAR  STORIES  FOR  BOYS. 


NEW  VOLUMES  FOR   1900-1901. 


Mr.  Denty.  the  most  popular  writer  of  Books  of  Adventure  in  England,  adds 
three  new  volumes  to  his  list  this  fall— books  that  will  delight  thousands  of 
boys  on  this  side  who  have  become  his  ardent  admirers. 


WITH  BULLER  IN  NATAL 

Or,  A  Born  Leader.     By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  10  Illustrations 
by  W.  EAINEY      ISrno,  $1.50. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Boer  War  compelled  Chris  King,  the  hero 
of  the  story,  to  flee  with  his  mother  from  Johannesburg  to  the  sea 
coast.  They  were  with  many  other  Uitlanders,  and  all  suffered  much 
from  the  Boers.  Reaching  a  place  of  safety  for  their  families,  Chris 
and  twenty  of  his  friends  formed  an  independent  company  of  scouts. 
In  this  service  they  were  with  Gen.  Yule  at  Glencoe,  then  in  Lady- 
smith,  then  with  Buller.  In  each  place  they  had  many  thrilling  ad- 
ventures. They  were  in  great  battles,  and  in  lonely  fights  on  the 
Veldt ;  were  taken  prisoners  and  escaped ;  and  they  rendered  most 
valuable  service  to  the  English  forces.  The  story  is  a  most  interesting 
picture  of  the  War  in  South  Africa. 

OUT  WITH  GARIBALDI 

A  Story  of  the  Liberation  of  Italy.    By  G.  A.  HENTY.    Witti 
8  Illustrations  by  W.  RAINEY,  R.  I.     12mo,  $1.50. 

Garibaldi  himself  is  the  central  figure  of  this  brilliant  story,  and  the 
little-known  history  of  the  struggle  for  Italian  freedom  is  told  here  in 
the  most  thrilling  way.  From  the  time  the  hero,  a  young  lad,  son  of 
an  English  father  and  an  Italian  mother,  joins  Garibaldi's  band  of 
1,000  men  in  the  first  descent  upon  Sicily,  which  was  garrisoned  by  one 
of  the  large  Neapolitan  armies,  until  the  end,  when  all  those  armies 
are  beaten,  and  the  two  Sicilys  are  conquered,  we  follow  with  the 
keenest  interest  the  exciting  adventures  of  the  lad  in  scouting,  in 
battle,  and  in  freeing  those  in  prison  for  liberty's  sake. 

IN  THE  IRISH  BRIGADE 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.    12mo,  $1.50. 

Desmond  Kennedy  is  a  young  Irish  lad  who  left  Ireland  to  join  the 
Irish  Brigade  in  the  service  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France.  In  Paris  he  in- 
curred the  deadly  hatred  of  a  powerful  courtier  from  whom  he  had 
rescued  a  young  girl  who  had  been  kidnapped,  and  his  perils  are  of  ab- 
sorbing interest.  Captured  in  an  attempted  Jacobite  invasion  of  Scot- 
land, Ee  escaped  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner.  As  aide-de-camp 
to  the  Duke  of  Berwick  he  experienced  thrilling  adventures  in  Flan- 
ders. Transferred  to  the  Army  in  Spain,  he  was  nearly  assassinated,  but 
escaped  to  return,  when  peace  was  declared,  to  his  native  land,  having 
received  pardon  and  having  recovered  his  estates.  The  story  is  filled 
with  adventure,  and  the  interest  never  abates. 


BOOKS  FOE  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY. 

"  Surely  Mr.  Henty  should  understand  boys'  tastes  better  than 
living."- The  Times. 


WON  BY  THE  SWORD 

A  Tale  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War.  With  12  Illustrations  by 
CHARLES  M.  SHELDON,  and  4  Plans.  12mo,  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  story  islaid  in  France,  during  the  time  of  Richelieu, 
of  Mazarin  and  Anne  of  Austria.  The  hero,  Hector  Campbell,  is  the 
orphaned  son  of  a  Scotch  officer  in  the  French  Army.  How  he  at- 
tracted the  notice  of  Marshal  Turenne  and  of  the  Prince  of  Conde  . 
how  he  rose  to  the  rank  of  Colonel ;  how  he  finally  had  to  leave  France, 
pursued  by  the  deadly  hatred  of  the  Due  de  Beaufort — all  these  and 
much  more  the  story  tells  with  the  most  absorbing  interest. 

NO  SURRENDER 

The  Story  of  the  Revolt  in  La  Vendee.  With  8  Illustrations 
by  STANLEY  L.  WOOD.  12mo,  $1.50. 

The  revolt  of  La  Vende~e  against  the  French  Republic  at  the  time  of 
the  Revolution  forms  the  groundwork  of  this  absorbing  story.  Leigh 
Stansfield,  a  young  English  lad,  is  drawn  into  the  thickest  of  the  con- 
flict. Forming  a  company  of  boys  as  scouts  for  the  Vendean  Army, 
he  greatly  aids  the  peasants.  He  rescues  his  sister  from  the  guillotine, 
and  finally,  after  many  thrilling  experiences,  when  the  cause  of  La 
Vendee  is  lost,  he  escapes  to  England. 

A  ROVING  COMMISSION 

Or,  Through  the  Black  Insurrection  at  Hayti.  With  12  Illus- 
trations by  WILLIAM  RAINEY.  12mo,  $1.50. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  brilliant  of  Mr.  Henty's  books.  A  story  of 
the  sea,  with  all  its  life  and  action,  it  is  also  full  of  thrilling  adven- 
tures on  land.  So  it  holds  the  keenest  interest  until  the  end.  The 
scene  is  a  new  one  to  Mr.  Henty's  readers,  being  laid  at  the  time  of  the 
Great  Revolt  of  the  Blacks,  by  which  Hayti  became  independent. 
Toussaint  1 'Overture  appears,  and  an  admirable  picture  is  given  of  him 
and  of  his  power. 

AT  ABOUKIR  AND  ACRE 

A  Story  of  Napoleon's  Invasion  of  Egypt.  With  8  full-page 
Illustrations  by  WILLIAM  RAINEY,  and  3  Plans.  12mo, 
$1.50. 

The  hero,  having  saved  the  life  of  the  son  of  an  Arab  chief,  is  taken 
into  the  tribe,  has  a  part  in  the  battle  of  the  Pyramids  and  the  revolt 
at  Cairo.  He  is  an  eye-witness  of  the  famous  naval  battle  of  Aboukir, 
and  later  is  in  the  hardest  of  the  defense  of  Acre. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BYQ.  A.  HENTY 

'  Mr.  Henty  is  the  king  of  story-tellers  for  boys." — Sword  and  Trowel. 


UNDER  WELLINGTON'S  COMMAND 

A  Tale  of  the  Peninsular  War.  With  12  Illustrations  by  WAL 
PAGET.  12mo,  $1.50. 

The  dashing  hero  of  this  book.  Terence  O'Connor,  was  the  hero  of 
Mr.  Henty's  previous  book,  "  With  Moore  at  Corunna,"  to  which  this 
is  really  a  sequel.  He  is  still  at  the  head  of  the  "  Minho  "  Portuguese 
regiment.  Being  detached  on  independent  and  guerilla  duty  with  his 
regiment,  he  renders  invaluable  service  in  gaining  information  and  in 
harassing  the  French.  His  command,  being  constantly  on  the  edge  of 
the  army,  is  engaged  in  frequent  skirmishes  and  some  most  important 
battles. 

BOTH  SIDES  THE  BORDER 

A  Tale  of  Hotspur  and  Glendower.  With  12  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  RALPH  PEACOCK.  12mo,  $1.50. 

This  is  a  brilliant  story  of  the  stirring  times  of  the  beginning  of  the 
Wars  of  the  Roses,  when  the  Scotch,  under  Douglas,  and  the  Welsh, 
under  Owen  Gleudower,  were  attacking  the  English.  The  hero  of  the 
book  lived  near  the  Scotch  border,  and  saw  many  a  hard  fight  there. 
Entering  the  service  of  Lord  Percy,  he  was  sent  to  Wales,  where  he 
was  knighted,  and  where  he  was  captured.  Being  released,  he  returned 
home,  and  shared  in  the  fatal  battle  of  Shrewsbury. 

ST.  BARTHOLOMEWS  EVE 

A  Tale  of  the  Huguenot  Wars.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  J.  DEAFER,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Philip  Fletcher,  has  a  French  connection  on  his  mother's 
side.  This  induces  him  to  cross  the  Channel  in  order  to  take  a  share 
in  the  Huguenot  wars.  Naturally  he  sides  with  the  Protestants,  dis- 
tinguishes himself  in  various  battles,  and  receives  rapid  promotion  for 
the  zeal  pnd  daring  with  which  he  carries  out  several  secret  missions. 

REDSKIN  AND  COW-BOY 

A  Tale  of  the  Western  Plains.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 


The  central  interest  of  this  story  is  found  in  the  many  adventures  of 
an  English  lad,  who  seeks  employment  as  a  cow-boy  on  a  cattle  ranch. 
His  experiences  during  a  "  round-up  "  present  in  picturesque  form  the 
toilsome,  exciting,  adventurous  life  of  a  cow-boy  ;  while  the  perils  of  a 
frontier  settlement  are  vividly  set  forth  in  an  Indian  raid. 


BOOKS  FOR   YOUti&  PEOPLK 


BY  Q.  A.  HENTY 

•'  No  country  nor  epoch  of  history  Is  there  which  Mr.  Henty  does  not  know, 
tad  what  is  really  remarkable  is  that  he  always  writes  well  and  Interestingly." 

— Neva  York  Times. 


WITH  FREDERICK  THE  GREAT 

A  Tale  of  the  Seven  Years'  War.  With  12  full -page  Illustra- 
tions. 12mo,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  while  still  a  youth  entered  the  service  of  Fred- 
erick the  Great,  and  by  a  succeasion  of  fortunate  circumstances  and 
perilous  adventures,  rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  Attached  to  the  staff 
of  the  king,  he  rendered  distinguished  services  in  many  battles,  in  one 
of  which  he  saved  the  king's  life.  Twice  captured  and  imprisoned,  he 
both  times  escaped  from  the  Austrian  fortresses. 

A  MARCH  ON  LONDON 

A  Story  of  Wat  Tyler's  Eising.  With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  W.  H.  MABGETSON.  12mo,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  Wat  Tyler's  Rebellion  is  but  little  known,  but  the  hero 
of  this  story  passes  through  that  perilous  time  and  takes  part  in  the 
civil  war  in  Flanders  which  followed  soon  after.  Although  young  he  is 
thrown  into  many  exciting  and  dangerous  adventures,  through  which 
he  passes  with  great  coolness  and  much  credit. 

WITH  MOORE  AT  CORUNNA 

A  Story  of  the  Peninsular  War.  With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  WAI,  PAGET.  12mo,  $1.50. 

Terence  O'Connor  is  living  with  his  widowed  father,  Captain  O'Connor 
of  the  Mayo  Fusiliers,  with  the  regiment  at  the  time  when  the  Penin- 
sular war  began.  Upon  the  regiment  being  ordered  to  Spain,  Terence 
gets  appointed  as  aid  to  one  of  the  generals  of  a  division.  By  his  brav- 
ery and  great  usefulness  throughout  the  war,  he  is  rewarded  by  a  com- 
mission as  colonel  in  the  Portuguese  army  and  there  rendered  great 
service. 

ON  THE  IRRAWADDY 

A  Story  of  the  First  Burmese  War.  With  8  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  W.  H.  OVEKEND.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

The  hero,  having  an  uncle,  a  trader  on  the  Indian  and  Burmese  rivers, 
goes  out  to  join  him.  Soon  after,  war  is  declared  by  Burmah  against 
England  and  he  is  drawn  into  it.  He  has  many  experiences  and  narrow 
escapes  in  battles  and  in  scouting.  With  half-a-dozen  men  he  rescues 
his  cousin  who  had  been  taken  prisoner^  and  in  the  flight  they  are  be- 
fdeged  in  an  old,  ruined  temple. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLB 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  Boys  like  stirring  adventures,  and  Mr.  Henty  Is  a  master  of  thla  method 
o*  composition."— New  YorK  Times. 


AT  AGINCOURT 

A  Tale  of  the  White  Hoods  of  Paris.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  WALTEB  PAGET.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

The  story  begins  in  a  grim  feudal  castle  in  Normandie.  The  times 
were  troublous,  and  soon  the  king  compelled  Lady  Margaret  de  Villeroy 
with  her  children  to  go  to  Paris  as  hostages.  Guy  Aylmer  went  with 
her.  Paris  was  turbulent.  Boon  the  guild  of  the  butchers,  adopting 
white  hoods  as  their  uniform,  seized  the  city,  and  besieged  the  house 
where  our  hero  and  his  charges  lived.  After  desperate  fighting,  the 
white  hoods  were  beaten  and  our  hero  and  his  charges  escaped  from  the 
city,  and  from  France. 

WITH  COCHRANE  THE  DAUNTLESS 

A  Tale  of  the  Exploits  of  Lord  Cochrane  in  South  American 
Waters.      With    12    full  -page    Illustrations    by  W.   H. 
MARGETSON.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
The  hero  of  this  story  accompanies   Cochrane  as  midshipman,   and 
serves  in   the  war  between   Chili  and  Peru.     He  has  many  exciting 
adventures  in  battles  bv  sea  and  land,  is  taken  prisoner  and  condemned 
to  death  by  the  Inquisition,  but  escapes  by  a  long  and  thrilling  flight 
across  South  America  and  down  the  Amazon,  piloted  by  two  faithful 


ht 

uth  America  and  down  the  Amazon      iloted  b     two  faith 
Indians. 

THE  TIGER  OF  MYSORE 

A  Story  of  the  War  with  Tippoo  Saib.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  W.  H.  MABGETSON,  and  a  Map.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Dick  Holland,  whose  father  is  supposed  to  be  a  captive  of  Tippoo  Saib. 
goes  to  India  to  help  him  to  escape.  He  joins  the  army  under  Lord 
Coruwallis,  and  takes  part  in  the  campaign  against  Tippoo.  Afterwards 
he  assumes  a  disguise,  enters  Seringapatam,  and  at  last  he  discovers  his 
father  in  the  great  stronghold  of  Savandroog.  The  hazardous  rescue  is 
at  length  accomplished,  and  the  young  fellow's  dangerous  mission  is 
done.  t 

THROUGH  RUSSIAN  SNOWS 

A  Story  of  Napoleon's  Eetreat  from  Moscow.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  W.  H.  OVEEEND,  and  3  Maps.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Julian  Wyatt,  after  several  adventures  with  smugglers,  by 
whom  he  is  handed  over  a  prisoner  to  the  French,  regains  his  freedom 
and  joins  Napoleon's  army  in  tbe  Russian  campaign.  When  the  terrible 
retreat  begins,  Julian  finds  himself  in  the  rear  guard  of  the  French  army. 
fighting  de'sperately.  Ultimately  he  escapes  out  of  the  general  disaster, 
and  returns  to  England. 


&OOK8  FOR  TOUXQ  PXOPL8 


BY  Q.  A,  HENTY 

"Here  -we  nave  Mr.  George  Henty— the  Boys'  Own  Author."— Punch. 


A  KNIGHT  OF  THE  WHITE  CROSS 

A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Rhodes.  With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  RALPH  PEACOCK,  and  a  Plan.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

Gervaise  Tresham,  the  hero  of  this  story,  joins  the  Order  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John,  and  proceeds  to  the  stronghold  of  Rhodes.  Sub- 
sequently he  is  appointed  commander  of  a  war-galley,  and  in  his  first 
voyage  destroys  a  fleet  of  Moorish  corsairs.  During  one  of  his  cruises 
the  young  knight  is  attacked  on  shore,  captured  after  a  desperate 
struggle,  and  sold  into  slavery  in  Tripoli.  He  succeeds  in  escaping,  and 
returns  to  Rhodes  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  defense  of  that  fortress. 

WULF  THE  SAXON 

A  Story  of  the  Norman  Conquest.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  RALPH  PEACOCK.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  young  thane  who  wins  the  favor  of  Earl  Harold  and  be- 
comes one  of  his  retinue.  WVn  Harold  becomes  King  of  England  Wulf 
assists  in  the  Welsh  wars,  and  takes  part  against  the  Norsemen  at  the 
Battle  of  Stamford  Bridge.  When  William  of  Normandy  invades  Eng- 
land, Wulf  is  with  the  English  host  at  Hastings,  and  stands  by  his  king 
to  the  last  in  the  mighty  struggle. 

BERIC  THE  BRITON 

A  Story  of  the  Roman  Invasion.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  PAKKINSON.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50, 

This  story  deals  with  the  invasion  of  Britain  by  the  Roman  legionaries. 
Beric,  who  is  a  boy-chief  of  a  British  tribe,  takes  a  prominent  part  in 
the  insurrection  under  Boadicea ;  and  after  the  defeat  of  that  heroic 
queen  (in  A.  D.  62)  he  continues  the  struggle  in  the  fen-country.  Ulti- 
mately Beric  is  defeated  and  carried  captive  to  Rome,  where  he  is  trained 
in  the  exercise  of  arms  in  a  school  of  gladiators.  At  length  he  returns 
to  Britain,  where  he  becomes  ruler  of  his  own  people. 

WHEN  LONDON  BURNED 

A  Story  of  the  Plague  and  the  Fire.    By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  FINNEMORE.    Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
The  hero  of  this  story  was  the  son  of  a  nobleman  who  had  lost  his 

estates  during  the  troublous  times  of  the  Commonwealth.     During  the 

Great  Plague  and  the  Great  Fire,  Cyril  was  prominent  among  those  wha 

brought  help  to  the  panic-stricken  inhabitants. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUXQ 


BY  G.  A. HENTY 

"  Ask  for  Henty,  and  see  that  you  get  him."— Punch. 


THE  DASH  FOR  KHARTOUM 

A  Tale  of  the  Nile  Expedition.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10 
full-page  Illustrations  by  JOHN  SCHONBERG  and  J.  NASH. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

In  the  record  of  recent  British  history  there  is  no  more  captivating  page 
for  boys  than  the  story  of  the  Nile  campaign,  and  the  attempt  to  rescue 
General  Gordon.  For,  in  the  difficulties  which  the  expedition  encount- 
ered, in  the  perils  which  it  overpassed,  and  in  its  final  tragic  disappoint- 
ments, are  found  all  the  excitements  of  romance,  as  well  as  the  fascination 
which  belongs  to  real  events. 

BONNIE  PRINCE  CHARLIE 

A  Tale  of  Fontenoy  and  Culloden.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  adventures  of  the  son  of  a  Scotch  officer  in  French  service.  The 
boy,  brought  up  by  a  Glasgow  bailie,  is  arrested  for  aiding  a  Jacobite 
agent,  escapes,  is  wrecked  on  the  French  coast,  reaches  Paris,  and  serves 
with  the  French  army  at  Dettingen.  He  kills  his  father's  foe  in  a  duel, 
and  escaping  to  the  coast,  shares  the  adventures  of  Prince  Charlie,  but 
finally  settles  happily  in  Scotland. 

UNDER  DRAKE'S  FLAG 

A  Tale  of  the  Spanish  Main.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A  story  of  the  days  when  England  and  Spain  struggled  for  the  suprem- 
acy of  the  sea.  The  heroes  sail  as  lads  with  Drake  in  the  Pacific  expe- 
dition, and  in  his  great  voyage  of  circumnavigation.  The  historical 
portion  of  the  story  is  absolutely  to  be  relied  upon,  but  this  will  perhaps 
be  less  attractive  than  the  great  variety  of  exciting  adventure  through 
which  the  young  heroes  pass  in  the  course  of  their  voyages. 

WITH  WOLFE  IN  CANADA 

Or,  The  Winning  of  a  Continent.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Mr.  Henty  here  gives  an  account  of  the  struggle  between  Brifain  and 
France  for  supremacy  in  the  North  American  continent.  The  fall  of 
Quebec  decided  that  the  An<*lo-Saxon  race  should  predominate  in  the 
"New  World;  and  that  English  and  American  commerce,  the  English 
language,  and  English  literature,  should  spread  right  round  the  globe. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BY   G,   A    HENTY 

'Mr.  Henty  is  one  of  the  best  of  story-tellers  for  young  people."— Spectator. 


BY  PIKE  AND  DYKE 

A  Tale  of  the  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic.    By  G.  A.  HENTY. 

With  10  full-page  Illustrations  by  MAYNARD  BROWN,  and 

4  Maps.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
This  story  traces  the  adventures  of  an  English  boy  in  the  household 
of  William  the  Silent.  Edward  Martin,  the  son  of  an  English  sea- 
captain,  enters  the  service  of  the  Prince  as  a  volunter,  and  is  employed 
by  him  in  many  dangerous  and  responsible  missions,  in  the  discharge 
of  which  he  passes  through  the  great  sieges  of  the  time. 

BY  ENGLAND'S  AID 

Or,  The  Freeing  of  the  Netherlands  (1585-1604).    By  G.  A. 
HENTY.     With    10  full-page    Illustrations    by   ALFRED 
PEARSE,  and  4  Maps.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
The  story  of  two  English  lads  who  go  to  Holland  as  pages  in  the  service 
of  one  of  "  the  fighting  Veres."    After  many  adventures  by  sea  and 
land,  one  of  the  lads  finds  himself  on  board  a  Spanish  ship  at  the  time 
of  the  defeat  of  the  Armada,  and  escapes,  only  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  Corsairs.    He  is  successful  in  getting  back  to  Spain,  and  regains 
his  native  country  after  the  capture  of  Cadiz. 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  THE  ROCKIES 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  Colorado.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  G.  C.  HINDLEY.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Tom  Wade,  goes  to  seek  his  uncle  In  Colorado,  who  is  a 
hunter  and  gold-digger,  and  he  is  discovered,  after  many  dangers,  out 
on  the  plains  with  some  comrades.  Going  in  quest  of  a  gold  mine,  the 
litttle  band  is  spied  by  Indians,  chased  across  the  Bad  Lands,  and 
overwhelmed  by  a  snowstorm  in  the  mountains. 

BY  RIGHT  OF  CONQUEST 

Or,  With  Cortez  in  Mexico.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  W.  S.  STACEY,  and  2  Maps.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

With  the  Conquest  of  Mexico  as  the  groundwork  of  his  story,  Mr. 
Henty  has  interwoven  the  adventures  of  an  English  youth.  He  is 
beset  by  many  perils  among  the  natives,  but  by  a  ruse  he  obtains  the 
protection  of  the  Spaniards,  and  after  the  fall  of  Mexico  he  succeeds  in 
regaining  his  native  shore,  with  a  fortune  and  a  charming  Aztec  bride. 

THROUGH  THE  SIKH  WAR 

A  Tale  of  the  Conquest  of  the  Punjaub.    By  G.  A.  HENTY. 

With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  HAL  HURST,   and  a 

Map.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Percy  Groves,  a  spirited  English  lad,  joins  his  uncle  in  the  Punjaub, 
where  the  natives  are  in  a  state  of  revolt.  Percy  joins  the  British 
force  as  a  volunteer,  and  takes  a  distinguished  share  in  the  famous 
battles  of  the  Punjaub. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  No  living  writer  of  books  for  boys  writes  to  better  purpose  than  Mr.  G.  A.. 
Henty."— Philadelphia  Press. 


TRUE  TO  THE  OLD  FLAG 

A  .Tale  of  the  American  War  of  Independence.  By  G.  A. 
HENTY.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A  graphic  and  vigorous  story  of  the  American  Revolution,  which 
paints  the  scenes  with  great  power,  and  does  full  justice  to  the  pluck 
and  determination  of  the  soldiers  during  the  unfortunate  struggle. 

THE  LION  OF  ST.  MARK 

A  Tale  of  Venice  in  the  Fourteenth  Century.  By  G.  A. 
HENTY.  With  10  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A  story  of  Venice  at  a  period  when  her  strength  and  splendor  were 
put  to  the  severest  tests.  The  hero  displays  a  fine  sense  and  manliness 
which  carry  him  safely  through  an  atmosphere  of  intrigue,  crime,  and 
bloodshed. 

THE  LION  OF  THE  NORTH 

A  Tale  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  and  the  Wars  of  Religion. 
By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  full-page  illustrations  by 
JOHN  SCHONBERG.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

In  this  story  Mr.  Henty  gives  the  history  of  the  first  part  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War.  The  issue  had  its  importance,  which  has  extended 
to  the  present  day,  as  it  established  religious  freedom  in  Germany. 
The  army  of  the  chivalrous  King  of  Sweden  was  largely  composed  of 
Scotchmen,  and  among  these  was  the  hero  of  the  story. 

IN  GREEK  WATERS 

A  Story  of  the  Grecian  War  of  Independence  (1821-1827).  By 
G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  S. 
STAGEY,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Deals  with  the  revolt  of  the  Greeks  in  1821  against  Turkish  op- 
pression. Mr.  Beveridge  and  his  son  Horace  fit  out  a  privateer,  load 
it  with  military  stores,  and  set  sail  for  Greece.  They  rescue  the  Chris- 
tians, relieve  the  captive  Greeks,  and  fight  the  Turkish  war  vessels. 

WITH  LEE  IN  VIRGINIA 

A  Story  of  the  American  Civil  War.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
10  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE,  and  6 
Maps.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  a  young  Virginia  planter,  who  serves  under  Lee  and 
Jackson  through  the  most  exciting  events  of  the  struggle.  He  has 
many  hairbreadth  escapes,  is  several  times  wounded  and  twice  taken 
prisoner ;  but  his  courage  and  readiness  bring  him  saf^v  through  all 
difficulties. 


BOOKS  FOR  TOUNO  PEOPLS 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

:  "Mr.  Henty's  books  never  fall  to  Interest  boy  readers."-4co<lemv. 


WITH  CLIVE  IN  INDIA 

Or,  The  Beginnings  of  an  Empire.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  period  between  the  landing  of  Olive  in  India  and  the  close  of  his 
career  was  eventful  in  the  extreme.  At  its  commencement  the  English 
were  traders  existing  on  sufferance  of  the  native  princes;  at  its  close  they 
were  masters  of  Bengal  and  of  the  greater  part  of  Southern  India.  The 
author  has  given  a  full  account  of  the  events  of  that  stirring  time,  while 
he  combines  with  his  narrative  a  thrilling  tale  of  daring  and  adventure. 

THE  YOUNG  CARTHAGINIAN 

A  Story  of  the  Times  of  Hannibal.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  0.  J.  STANILAND,  E.I.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

There  is  no  better  field  for  romance- writers  in  the  whole  of  history  than 
the  momentous  struggle  between  the  Romans  and  Carthaginians  for  the 
empire  of  the  world.  Mr.  Henty  has  had  the  full  advantage  of  much  un- 
exhausted  picturesque  and  impressive  material,  and  has  thus  been  enabled 
to  form  a  striking  historic  background  to  as  exciting  a  story  of  adventure 
as  the  keenest  appetite  could  wish. 

FOR  THE  TEMPLE 

A  Tale  of  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10 
full-page  Illustrations  by  S.  J.  SOLOMON,  and  a  colored 
Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1 .50. 

Mr.  Henty  here  weaves  into  the  record  of  Josephus  an  admirable  and 
attractive  story.  The  troubles  in  the  district  of  Tiberias,  the  march  of  the 
legions,  the  sieges  of  Jotapata,  of  Gamala,  and  of  Jerusalem,  form  the 
impressive  setting  to  the  figure  of  the  lad  who  becomes  the  leader  of  a 
guerrilla  band  of  patriots,  fights  bravely  for  the  Temple,  and  after  a  brief 
term  of  slavery  at  Alexandria,  returns  to  his  Galilean  home. 

THROUGH  THE  FRAY 

A  Story  of  the  Luddite  Kiots.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12 
full -page  Illustrations  by  H.  'M.  PAGET.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  SI. 50. 

The  story  is  laid  in  Yorkshire  at  the  commencement  of  the  present  cen- 
tury, when  the  high  price  of  food  induced  by  the  war  and  the  introduction 
of  machinery  drove  the  working-classes  to  desperation,  and  caused  them 
to  band  themselves  in  that  wide-spread  organization  known  as  the  Luddite 
Society.  There  is  an  abundance  of  adventure  in  the  tale,  but  its  chief 
interest  lies  in  the  character  of  the  hero,  and  the  manner  in  which  he 
is  put  on  trial  for  his  life,  but  at  last  cornea  victorious  ' '  through  the  fray. " 


BOOKS  FOR  TOUSG  PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A,  HENTY 

"  The  brightest  of  all  the  living  writers  whose  office  it  is  to  enchant  the 
boys."— Christian  LeaOer. 


CAPTAIN  BAYLEY'S  HEIR 

A  Tale  of  the  Gold  Fields  of  California.  By  G.  A.  HENTY. 
With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  M.  PAGET.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A  frank,  manly  lad  and  his  cousin  are  rivals  in  the  heirship  of  a  consider- 
able property.  The  former  falls  into  a  trap  laid  by  the  latter,  and  while 
under  a  false  accusation  of  theft  foolishly  leaves  England  for  America. 
He  works  his  passage  before  the  mast,  joins  a  small  band  of  hunters, 
ciosses  a  tract  of  country  infested  with  Indians  to  the  Calif ornian  gold 
diggings,  and  is  successful  both  as  digger  and  trader. 

IN  FREEDOM'S  CAUSE 

A  Story  of  Wallace  and  Bruce.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Relates  the  stirring  tale  of  the  Scottish  War  of  Independence.  The 
hero  of  the  tale  fought  under  both  Wallace  and  Bruce,  and  while  the 
strictest  historical  accuracy  has  been  maintained  with  respect  to  public 
events,  the  work  is  full  of  "hairbreadth  'scapes"  and  wild  adventure. 

A  JACOBITE  EXILE 

Being  the  Adventures  of  a  Young  Englishman  in  the  Service 
of  Charles  XII.  of  Sweden.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8 
full-page  Illustrations  by  PADL  HABDY,  and  a  Map.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Sir  Marmaduke  Caretairs,  a  Jacobite,  is  the  victim  of  a  conspiracy,  and 
he  is  denounced  as  a  plotter  against  the  life  of  King  William.  He  flies  to 
Sweden,  accompanied  by  his  son  Charlie.  This  youth  joins  the  foreign 
legion  under  Charles  XII.,  and  takes  a  distinguished  part  in  several 
famous  campaigns  against  the  Russians  and  Poles. 

CONDEMNED  AS  A  NIHILIST 

A  Story  of  Escape  from  Siberia.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8 
full-page  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  an  English  boy  resident  in  St.  Petersburg. 
Through  two  student  friends  he  becomes  innocently  involved  in  various 
political  plots,  resulting  in  his  seizure  by  the  Russian  police  and  his  exile 
to  Siberia.  He  ultimately  escapes,  and.  after  many  exciting  adventures, 
he  reaches  Norway,  and  thence  home,  after  a  perilous  journey  which  last* 
nearly  two  years. 


BOOKS  FOR  Yotnro  PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

r.  Henty  is  one  of  our  most  successful  writers  of  historical  tales." 


IN  THE  REIGN  OF  TERROR 

The  Adventures  of  a  Westminster  Boy.  By  G.  A.  HENTY. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  SCHONBEBG.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Harry  Sandwith,  a  Westminster  boy,  becomes  a  resident  at  the  chateau 
of  a  French  marquis,  and  after  various  adventures  accompanies  the 
family  to  Paris  at  the  crisis  of  the  Revolution.  Imprisonment  and  death 
reduce  their  number,  and  the  hero  finds  himself  beset  by  perils  with  the 
three  young  daughters  of  the  house  in  his  charge.  After  hair-breadth 
escapes  they  reach  Nantes.  There  the  girls  are  condemned  to  death  in 
the  coffinships,  but  are  saved  by  the  unfailing  courage  of  their  boy- 
protector. 

ST.  GEORGE  FOR  ENGLAND 

A  Tale  of  Cressy  and  Poitiers.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BBOWNE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

No  portion  of  English  history  is  more  crowded  with  great  events  than 
that  of  the  reign  of  Edward  IIL  Cressy  and  Poitiers ;  the  destruction  of 
the  Spanish  fleet ;  the  plague  of  the  Black  Death  ;  the  Jacquerie  rising; 
these  are  treated  by  the  author  in  "  St.  George  for  England. "  The  hero  of 
the  story,  although  of  good  family,  begins  life  as  a  London  apprentice, 
but  after  countless  adventures  and  perils  becomes  by  valor  and  good 
conduct  the  squire,  and  at  last  the  trusted  friend  of  the  Black  Prince. 

A  CHAPTER  OF  ADVENTURES 

Or,  Through  the  Bombardment  of  Alexandria.     By  G.  A. 

HBNTY.    With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  H.  OVEB- 

BND.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

A  coast  fishing  lad,  by  an  act  of  heroism,  secures  the  interest  of  a  ship- 
owner, who  places  him  as  an  apprentice  on  board  one  of  hU  «hip«.  In 
company  with  two  of  his  fellow-apprentices  he  is  left  behind,  at  Alex- 
andria, in  the  hands  of  the  revolted  Egyptian  troops,  and  ii  present 
through  the  bombardment  and  the  scenes  of  riot  and  blood-shed  which 
accompanied  it. 

HELD  FAST  FOR  ENGLAND 

A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Gibraltar.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  deals  with  one  of  the  most  memorable  sieges  in  history— 
the  siege  of  Gibraltar  in  1779-83  by  the  united  force*  of  France  and 
Spain.  With  land  forces,  fleets,  and  floating  batteries,  the  combined  re- 
sources of  two  great  nations,  this  grim  fortress  was  vainly  besieged  and 
bombarded.  The  hero  of  the  tale,  an  English  lad  resident  in  Gibraltar, 
tak«>8  a  brave  and  worthy  part  in  the  long  defence,  and  it  is  through  his 
varied  experiences  that  we  learn  with  what  bravery,  resource,  and  te- 
nacity the  Rock  was  held  for  England. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BY  G,  A.  HENTY 

"  Among  writers  of  stories  of  adventures  for  boys  Mr.  Henty  stands  In  the 
very  first  rank."— AcaOemy.  

FOR  NAME  AND  FAME 

Or,  Through  Afghan  Passes.  By  G.  A,  HENTY.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

An  interesting  story  of  the  last  war  in  Afghanistan.  The  hero,  after 
being  wrecked  and  going  through  many  stirring  adventures  among  the 
Malays,  finds  his  way  to  Calcutta  and  enlists  in  a  regiment  proceeding  to 
join  the  army  at  the  Afghan  passes.  He  accompanies  the  force  under 
General  Roberts  to  the  Peiwar  Kotal,  is  wounded,  taken  prisoner,  carried 
to  Cabul,  whence  he  is  transferred  to  Candahar,  and  takes  part  in  the 
final  defeat  of  the  army  of  Ayoub  Khan. 

ORANGE  AND  GREEN 

A  Tale  of  the  Boyne  and  Limerick.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
8  full -page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  record  of  two  typical  families — the  Davenants,  who,  having  come 
over  with  Strongbow,  had  allied  themselves  in  feeling  to  the  original  in- 
habitants ;  and  the  Whitefoots,  who  had  been  placed  by  Cromwell  over 
certain  domains  of  the  Davenants.  In  the  children  the  spirit  of  conten- 
tion has  given  place  to  friendship,  and  though  they  take  opposite  sides 
in  the  struggle  between  James  and  William,  their  good-will  and  mutual 
service  are  never  interrupted,  and  in  the  end  the  Davenants  come  hap- 
pily to  their  own  again. 

MAORI  AND  SETTLER 

A  Story  of  the  New  Zealand  War.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  Renshaws  emigrate  to  New  Zealand  during  the  period  of  the  war 
with  the  natives.  Wilfrid,  a  strong,  self-reliant,  courageous  lad,  is  the 
mainstay  of  the  household.  He  has  for  his  friend  Mr.  Atherton,  a  botan- 
ist and  naturalist  of  herculean  strength  and  unfailing  nerve  and  humor. 
In  the  adventures  among  the  Maoris,  there  are  many  breathless  moments 
in  which  the  odds  seem  hopelessly  against  the  party,  but  they  succeed  in 
establishing  themselves  happily  in  one  of  the  pleasant  New  Zealand 
valleys. 

A  FINAL  RECKONING 

A  Tale  of  Bush  Life  in  Australia.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  B.  WOLLEN.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  a  young  English  lad,  after  rather  a  stormy  boyhood,  emi- 
grates to  Australia  and  gets  employment  as  an  officer  in  the  mounted 
police.  A-few  years  of  active  work  on  the  frontier,  where  he  has  many  a 
brush  with  both  natives  and  bush-rangers,  gain  him  promotion  to  a  cap- 
taincy, and  he  eventually  settles  down  to  the  peaceful  life  of  a  squatter. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNQ  PEOPL& 


BY  G,  A.  HENTY 

"  Mr.  Henty'a  books  are  welcome  visitors  In  the  home  circle."— Daily  Sews. 


THE  BRAVEST  OF  THE  BRAVE 

Or,  With  Peterborough  in  Spain.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  M.  PAGET.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

There  are  few  great  leaders  whose  lives  and  actions  have  so  completely 
fallen  into  oblivion  as  those  of  the  Earl  of  Peterborough.  This  is  largely 
due  to  the  fact  that  they  were  overshadowed  by  the  glory  and  successes 
of  Marlborough.  His  career  as  General  extended  over  little  more  than 
a  year,  and  yet,  in  that  time,  he  showed  a  genius  for  warfare  which  has 
never  been  surpassed. 

THE  DRAGON  AND  THE  RAVEN 

Or,  The  Days  of  King  Alfred.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  C.  J.  STANILAND,  R.I.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

In  this  story  the  author  gives  an  account  of  the  fierce  struggle 
between  Saxon  and  Dane  for  supremacy  in  England,  and  presents  a  vivid 
picture  of  the  misery  and  ruin  to  which  the  country  was  reduced  by  the 
ravages  of  the  sea-wolves.  The  hero,  a  young  Saxon  thane,  takes  part  in 
all  the  battles  fought  by  King  Alfred.  He  is  driven  from  his  home,  takes 
to  the  sea,  and  resists  the  Danes  on  their  own  element,  and  being  pursued 
by  them  up  the  Seine,  is  present  at  the  long  and  desperate  siege  of  Paris. 

FACING  DEATH 

Or,  The  Hero  of  the  Vaughan  Pit.  A  Tale  of  the  Coal  Mines. 
By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by 
GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

u  Facing  Death  "  is  a  story  with  a  purpose.  It  is  intended  to  show  that 
a  lad  who  makes  up  his  mind  firmly  and  resolutely  that  he  will  rise  in 
life,  and  who  is  prepared  to  face  toil  and  ridicule  and  hardship  to  carry 
out  his  determination,  is  sure  to  succeed.  The  hero  of  the  story  is  a 
typical  British  boy,  dogged,  earnest,  generous,  and  though  "shamefaced" 
to  a  degree,  is  ready  to  face  death  in  the  discharge  of  duty. 

BY  SHEER  PLUCK 

A  Tale  of  the  Ashanti  War.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE,  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  author  has  woven,  in  a  tale  of  thrilling  interest,  all  the  details  of 
the  Ashanti  campaign,  of  which  he  was  himself  a  witness.  His  hero, 
after  many  exciting  adventures  in  the  interior,  is  detained  a  prisoner  by 
the  king  just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  but  escapes,  and  accom- 
panies the  English  expedition  on  their  march  to  Cooma-ssie. 


BOOKS  FOR  TOUNff  PEOPLB 


BYG.  A.  HENTY 

"  Mr.  Henty  might  with  entire  propriety  be  called  the  boys'  Sir  Waiter 
Scott."— Philadelphia  Press. 


THE  CAT  OF  BUBASTES 

A  Story  of  Ancient  Egypt.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A  story  which  will  give  young  readers  an  unsurpassed  insight  into  the 
customs  of  the  Egyptian  people.  Amuba,  a  prince  of  the  Rebu  nation,  is 
carried  with  his  charioteer  Jethro  into  slavery.  They  become  inmates  of 
the  house  of  Ameres,  the  Egyptian  high-priest,  and  are  happy  in  his 
service  until  the  priest's  son  accidentally  kills  the  sacred  cat  of  Bubaetes. 
In  an  outburst  of  popular  fury  Ameres  is  killed,  and  it  rests  with  Jethro 
and  Amuba  to  secure  the  escape  of  the  high-priest's  son  and  daughter. 

ONE  OF  THE  28™ 

A  Tale  of  Waterloo.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full-page  Il- 
lustrations by  W.  H.  OVEREND,  and  2  Maps.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story,  Ralph  Conway,  has  many  varied  and  exciting 
adventures.  He  enters  the  army,  and  after  some  rough  service  in  Ire- 
land takes  part  in  the  Waterloo  campaign,  from  which  he  returns  with 
the  loss  of  an  arm,  but  with  a  substantial  fortune. 

STURDY  AND  STRONG 

Or,  How  George  Andrews  made  his  Way.  By  G.  A.  HENTY. 
With  4  full-page  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

The  history  of  a  hero  of  everyday  life,  whose  love  of  truth,  clothing 
of  modesty,  and  innate  pluck,  carry  him,  naturally,  from  poverty  to  af- 
fluence. George  Andrews  is  an  example  of  character  with  nothing  to 
cavil  at,  and  stands  as  a  good  instance  of  chivalry  in  domestic  life. 

TALES  OF  DARING  AND  DANGER 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  2  full-page  Illustrations.  Crown 
8vo,  75  cents. 


Containing  five  stories,  varied  in  scene  and  character,  but  all  v  :  ad- 
venturous interest  and  telling  of  youthful  heroism  under  dangerous  and 
trying  circumstances  on  land  and  on  sea. 

YARNS  ON  THE  BEACH 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.    With  2  full-page  Illustrations.     Crown 
8vo,  75  cents. 

This  book  should  find  special  favor  among  boys.  The  yarns  are  spun 
by  old  Bailors,  and  are  admirably  calculated  to  foster  a  manly  spirit* 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUtfQ  PEOPLE 


DROLL  DOINGS 

Illustrated    by    HARRY    B.    NEILSON,    with    verses    by    the 

COCKIOLLY  BIRD.     4to,  decorated  boards.     $2.00. 
A  new,  original,  arid  very  amusing  book  of  animal  pictures  in  color. 


BY  CARTON  MOORE  PARK 

A  BOOK  OF  BIRDS        j 

Profusely  Illustrated  with  full-page  plates,  vignettes,  cover 
design,  &c.,  &c.  Demy  4to  (13  inches  by  10  inches).  $2.00 

No  artist  has  caught  more  thoroughly  the  individualities  of  the  bird 
world,  or  has  reproduced  them  with  more  lifelike  vivacity  and  charm. 

AN  ALPHABET  OF  ANIMALS 

With  26  full-page  Plates,  a  large  number  of  vignettes,  and 
cover  design  by  CARTON  MOORE  PARK.  Demy  4to  (13 
inches  by  10  inches),  $2.00. 

A  strikingly  artistic  alphabet  book.  Mr.  Park's  drawings  are  marked 
by  extraordinary  boldness  and  vigor  of  treatment ;  but  they  display  in 
addition  a  rare  appreciation  of  the  subtler  characteristics  of  the  animal 
world.  Of  these  individual  traits  Mr.  Park  has  an  intuitive  percep- 
tion, and  his  pictures  may  almost  be  said  to  live  upon  the  page. 


BRIGHT  AND  ORIGINAL  FAIRY  TALES 

THE  PRINCESS  OF  HEARTS 

By  OHEILA  E.  BRAINE.  With  70  illustrations  by  ALICE  B. 
WOODWARD,  and  Frontispiece  in  Colors.  Square  8vo, 
gilt  edges,  $2.00. 

GO  TELL  THE  KING  THE  SKY  IS  FALLING 

By  SHEILA  E.  BRAINE.  With  85  Illustrations  by  ALICE  B. 
WOODWARD.  Square  crown  8vo,  $1.75. 

THE  LITTLE  BROWNS 

By  MABEL  E.  WOLTON.  With  80  Illustrations  by  H.  M. 
BROCK,  and  a  Colored  Frontispiece.  Square  8vo,  gilt 
edges,  $2.00. 

The  little  Browns  are  a  delightful  set  of  youngsters,  more  than 
usually  individual  and  self-reliant.  During  their  parents'  absence  they 
extend,  hospitality  to  a  stranger,  under  the  belief  that  he  is  their  uncle 
from  Australia.  The  supposed  uncle  is  really  a  burglar,  and  by  their 
courage  and  childish  resource  they  outwit  him.  The  Little  Jiruwtts  is 
the  work  of  a  true  child-lover. 


BOOKS  FOR  TOUNtf  PBOPLTf 


BY  PROFESSOR  A.  J.  CHURCH 


LORDS  OF  THE  WORLD 

A  Story  of  the  Fall  of  Carthage  and  Corinth.  By  Professor 
A.  J.  CHURCH.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  KALPH 
PEACOCK.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  story  centres  in  the  destruction  of  Carthage  by  the 
Romans.  The  young  hero  is  captured  by  the  Romans,  but  wearing  the 
dress  of  his  twin  sister,  escapes  death.  Entering  the  army  of  Carthage 
he  is  in  the  thick  of  the  long  conflict  and  passes  through  many  thrilling 
adventures.  He  is  present  at  the  final  scene,  and  that  awful  catastrophe 
is  most  vividly  told.  The  story  ia  full  of  valuable  historical  details  and 
the  interest  never  flags. 

TWO  THOUSAND  YEARS  AGO 

Or,  The  Adventures  of  a  Roman  Boy.     By  Professor  A.  J. 

CHUBCH.      With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  ADKIEN 

MARIE.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  young  Roman  who  has  a  very  chequered  career,  being 
now  a  captive  in  the  hands  of  Spartacns,  again  an  officer  on  board  a 
vessel  detailed  for  the  suppression  of  the  pirates,  and  anon  a  captive 
once  more,  on  a  pirate  ship. 

BYS.  BARING-GOULD 


GRETTIR  THE  OUTLAW 

A  Story  of  Iceland.     By  S.  BARING -GoraD.     With   10  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  M.  ZENO  DIEMER,  and  a  Colored 
Map.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
No  boy  will  be  able  to  withstand  the  magic  of  such  scenes  as  the  fight 

of  Grettir  with  twelve  bearserks,  and  the  wrestle  with  Karr  the  Old  in 

the  chamber  of  the  dead. 

BY  F.  FRANKFORT  MOORE 


HIGHWAYS  AND  HIGH  SEAS 

Cyril    Harley's   Adventures    on    Both.      By  F.   FRANKFORT 
MOORE.   With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
The  story  belongs  to  a  period  when  highways  meant  post-chaises, 

coaches,  and  highwaymen,  and  when  high  teas  meant  privateers  and 

smugglers. 

UNDER  HATCHES 

Or,  Ned  Woodthorpe's  Adventures.    By  F.  FRANKFORT  MOORE. 

With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  A.  FORESTIER.     Crown 

8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Tn  rescuing  another  lad  from  drowning,  Ned  Woodthorpe  is  taken  on 
board  a  convict  ship.  After  a  series  of  exciting  events  the  convicts  and 
crew  obtain  the  mastery.  Ultimately  the  ship  is  recapt;ired  and  Ned 
and  his  friends  escape  from  their  troubles. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


CAPT.  F.  S.  BRERETON 

WITH  RIFLE  AND  BAYONET 

A  Story  of  the  Boer  War.  With  8  Illustrations  by  WAL. 
PAGET.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges.  $1.50. 

Jack  tomerten,  the  hero  of  With  Rifle  and  Bayonet,  is  an  English 
boy  who  chances  to  be  spending  a  vacation  at  the  home  of  a  school 
friend  in  the  Transvaa.  just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  Boer  war.  Jack 
is  the  first  Uitlander  to  find  actual  evidence  that  the  Boers  are  import- 
ing arms  and  ammunition  in  large  quantities,  but  the  Boers  soon  learn 
that  he  has  discovered  their  secret  and  from  that  time  his  life  is  in 
constant  danger.  The  account  of  his  adventures  and  escapes  during 
this  time  and  throughout  the  war  makes  one  of  the  best  war  tales  of 
many  years. 

The  story  gives  also  the  most  interesting  details  of  Transvaal  his- 
tory, who  the  Boers  were,  how  they  came  to  settle  the  Transvaal,  and 
the  Government  and  customs  that  have  arisen  among  them. 

IN  THE  KING'S  SERVICE 

A  Tale  of  Cromwell's  Invasion  of  Ireland.  With  eight  page 
Illustrations  by  STANLEY  L.  WOOD.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges.  $1.50. 

Dick  Granville  is  the  son  of  a  Royalist  who  is  driven  from  his  home 
in  Cheshire  and  takes  refuge  at  Castle  Driscoe,  in  Ireland.  When  the 
Parliamentary  army  crosses  to  Ireland  young  Dick  Granville  and  his 
cousin  join  a  body  of  Royalist  horse.  They  take  part  in  the  defense  of 
Drogheda,  only  escaping  from  the  slaughter  there  by  a  miracle,  and 
afterwards  go  through  a  series  of  thrilling  adventures  and  narrow  es- 
capes in  which  Dick  displays  extraordinary  skill  and  resource. 

WITH  SHIELD  AND  ASSEGAI 

A  Tale  of  the  Zulu  War.     With  6  Illustrations  by  STANLEY 

L.  WOOD.     Crown  8vo.    $1.25. 

Donald  Stewart,  the  son  of  an  English  missionary  in  Zululand,  when 
at  school  in  England,  is  wrongfully  accused  of  theft.  He  runs  away, 
enlists  in  the  British  army,  and  is  sent  to  Africa.  There  he  learns  that 
his  sister  and  a  friend  are  in  the  hands  of  Cetewayo.  Disguised  as  a 
Zulu,  he  rescues  the  two  girls  ;  and  after  the  attack  upon  Ulundi,  he 
hears  from  a  dying  officer  a  confession  of  the  theft  of  which  he  was  ac- 
cused.   

FIGHTING  THE  MATABELE 

By  J.  CHALMERS.  With  6  Illustrations  by  STANLEY  L.  WOOD. 
12mo.  $1.25. 

A  STOUT  ENGLISH  BOWMAN 

Being  a  Story  of  Chivalry  in  the  Days  of  Henry  III.  By 
EDGAR  PICKERING.  With  6  illustrations.  Price,  $1.25. 

IN  PRESS-GANG  DAYS 

By  EDGAR  PICKERING.  With  6  full  page  Illustrations  by  W. 
S.  STACEY.  Crown  8vo.  $1.25. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNQ  PEOPLK 


BY  ROBERT  LEIGHTON 

••  Mr.  Leighton'a  place  is  in  the  front  rank  of  writers  of  boys'  books." 

— Standard 


THE  GOLDEN  GALLEON 

Illustrated,  crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  SI. 50. 

This  is  a  story  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  time,  just  after  the  defeat  of  the 
Spanish  Armada.  Mr.  Leighton  introduces  in  his  work  the  great  sea- 
fighters  of  Plymouth  town  —  Hawkins,  Drake,  Raleigh,  and  Kichard 
Grenville. 

OLAF  THE  GLORIOUS 

By  KOBEET  LEIGHTON.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by 

EALPH  PEACOCK.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
This  story  of  Olaf ,  King  of  Norway,  opens  with  his  being  found  living 
as  a  bond-slave  in  Esthonia,  and  follows  him  through  his  romantic  youth 
in  Russia.  Then  come  his  adventures  as  a  Viking,  his  raids  upon  the 
coasts  of  Scotland  and  England,  and  his  conversion  to  Christianity.  He 
returns  to  Norway  as  king,  and  converts  his  people  to  the  Christian 
faith. 

WRECK  OF  "THE  GOLDEN  FLEECE" 

The  Story  of  a  North  Sea  Fisher-boy.     By  ROBERT  LEIGHTON. 

With    8    full-page    Illustrations  by  FRANK  BRANGWYK. 

Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  parson's  son  who  is  apprenticed  on  board  a  Loweetoft 
fishing  lugger.  The  lad  suffers  many  buffets  from  his  shipmates,  while 
the  storms  and  dangers  which  he  braved  are  set  forth  with  intense  power. 

THE  THIRSTY  SWORD 

A  Story  of  the  Norse  Invasion  of  Scotland  (1262-63).  By 
EGBERT  LEIGHTON.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by 
ALFRED  PEARSE,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

This  story  tells  how  Roderic  MacAlpin,  the  sea-rover,  came  to  the  Isle 
of  Bute ;  how  he  slew  his  brother  in  Rothesay  Castle ;  how  the  earl's 
eldest  son  was  likewise  slain ;  how  young  Kenrio  now  became  king  of 
Bute,  and  vowed  vengeance  against  the  slayer  of  his  brother  and  father  ; 
and  finally,  how  this  vow  was  kept,  when  Kenrio  and  the  murderous 
sea-rover  met  at  midnight  and  ended  their  feud  in  one  last  great  fight. 

THE  PILOTS  OF  POMONA 

A  Story  of  the  Orkney  Islands.  By  EGBERT  LEIGHTON.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  JOHN  LEIGHTON,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Halcre  Ericson,  the  hero,  happens  upon  many  exciting  adventures  and 
nardy  experiences,  through  which  he  carries  himself  with  quiet  courage. 
'  The  story  gives  a  vivid  presentation  of  life  in  these  far  northern  island* 


BOOKS  FOR   YOUm  PEOPLE 


BY  KIRK  MUNROE 


MIDSHIPMAN   STUART 

Or,  the  Last  Cruise  of  the  Essex.    A  Tale  of  the  War  of 
1832.    Illustrated.    12mo,  $1.25 

IN  PIRATE  WATERS 

A  Tale  of  the  American  Navy.      Illustrated  by  I.  W. 

TABER.    12mo,  $1.25. 

The  hero  of  the  story  becomes  a  midshipman  in  the  navy  just  at 
the  time  of  the  war  with  Tripoli  His  own  wild  adventures  among 
the  Turks  and  his  love  romance  are  thoroughly  interwoven  with  the 
stirring  history  of  that  time. 

THE    "WHITE    CONQUERORS"    SERIES 

WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Or,  Fighting  for  the  Lone  Star  Flag.     A  Tale  of  Texas. 

With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  VICTOR  P&RA.RD. 

Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

The  story  is  of  the  Texas  revolution  in  1835,  when  American  Texans 
under  Sam  Houston,  Bowie,  Crockett  and  Travis,  fought  for  relief 
from  the  intolerable  tyranny  of  the  Mexican  Santa  Ana.  The  hero, 
Rex  Hardin,  son  of  a  Texan  ranchman  and  graduate  of  an  American 
military  school,  takes  a  prominent  part  in  the  heroic  defense  of  the 
Alarno,  and  the  final  triumph  at  San  Jacinto. 

THROUGH  SWAMP  AND  GLADE 

A  Tale  of  the  Seminole  War.    By  KIRK  MUNROE.    With  8 

full-page  Illustrations  by  V.  P^RARD.  Crown  8 vo,  $1. 25. 

Coacoochee,  the  hero  of  the  story,  is  the  son  of  Philip  the  chieftain 

of  the  Seminoles.     He  grows  up  to  lead  his  tribe  in  the  long  struggle 

which  resulted  in  the  Indians  being  driven  from  the  north  of  Florida 

down  to  the  distant  southern  wilderness. 

AT  WAR  WITH  PONTIAC 

Or,  The  Totem  of  the  Bear.    A  Tale  of  Redcoat  and  Red- 
skin.   By  KIRK  MUNROE.    With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  J.  FINNEMORE.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 
A  story  when  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie  were  held  by  hostile  Indians. 
The  hero,  Donald  Hester,  goes  in  search  of  his  sister  Edith,  who  has 
been  captured  bv  th?  Indians.     Strange  and  terrible  are  his  experi- 
ences ;  ror  ne  is  wounded,  taken  prisoner,  condemned  to  be  burned,  but 
contrives  to  escape.    In  the  end  all  things  terminate  happily. 

THE  WHITE  CONQUERORS 

A  Tale  of  Toltec  and  Aztec.     By  KIRK  MUNROE.    With  8 

full-page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 
This  story  deals  with  the  Conquest  of  Mexico  by  Cortes  and  his 
Spaniards,  the  "White  Conquerors,"  who,  after  many  deeds  of  valor, 
pushed  their  way  into  the  great  Aztec  kingdom  and  established  their 
power  in  the  wondrous  city  where  Montezuma  reigned  in  splendor. 


BOORS  FOR  YOVNQ  P1SOPL8 


BY  DM.  CORDON  STABLES 


COURAGE  TRUE  HEART 

A  Brilliant  New  Story  of  Danger  and  Daring  on  the  Sea.  By 
GORDON  STABLES,  M.D.,  C.M.  Illustrated,  crown  8vo, 
$1.25. 

A  NAVAL  CADET 

A  Story  of  Adventure  by  Sea.  By  GOBDON  STABLES,  M.D., 
G.M.  Illustrated,  crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

FOR  LIFE  AND  LIBERTY 

A  Story  of  Battle  by  Land  and  Sea.  By  GORDON  STABLES, 
M.D.,  C.M.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  SIDNEY 
PAQET.  12mo.  $1.50. 

The  story  of  an  English  boy  who  runs  from  home  and  joins  the  south- 
ern army  in  the  late  Civil  War.  His  chum  enters  the  navy,  and  their 
various  adventures  are  set  forth  with  great  vigor  and  interest. 

TO  GREENLAND  AND  THE  POLE 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  the  Arctic  Regions.  By  GORDON 
STABLES,  M.D.,  C.M.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by 
G.  C.  HINDLEY,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

The  author  is  himself  an  old  Arctic  voyager,  and  he  deals  wfth  deer- 
hunting  in  Norway,  sealing  in  the  Arctic  Seas,  bear-stalking  on  the 
ice-noes,  the  hardships  of  a  journey  across  Greenland,  and  a  successful 
voyage  to  the  back  of  the  North  Pole. 

WESTWARD  WITH  COLUMBUS 

By  GORDON  STABLES,  M.D.,  C.M.  With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  ALFRED  PEARSE.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  Columbus  himself.  His  career  is  traced  from 
boyhood  onward  through  the  many  hazardous  enterprises  in  which  he 
was  at  various  times  engaged.  The  narrative  deals  chiefly,  however, 
'vith  the  great  naval  venture  which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the 
American  continent. 

TWDCT  SCHOOL  AND  COLLEGE 

A  Tale  of  Self-reliance.  By  GORDON  STABLES,  M.D.,  C.M. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  PARKINSON.  Crown 
£vo,  oliviue  edges,  $1.50. 


BOOKS  foil  YOVNG  PBOPLB 


BY  HARRY  COLLINQWOOD 

THE  LOG  OF  A  PRIVATEERSMAN 

By  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by 

W.  BAINEY,  B.I.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
In  the  war  between  Napoleon  and  the  British,  many  privateers  were 
sent  out  from  England  to  seize  and  destroy  the  French  merchant  vessels. 
On  one  of  these  George  Bowen  went  as  second  mate.  Long  dif-tance 
duels  at  sea,  fights  at  close  quarters,  fierce  boarding  attacks,  capture  and 
recapture,  flight  and  pursuit,  storm  and  wreck,  fire  at  sea  anrt  days  with- 
out food  or  water  in  a  small  boat  on  the  ocean,  are  some  of  the  many 
thrilling  experiences  our  hero  passed  through. 

THE  LOG  OF  "THE  FLYING  FISH." 

A  Story  of  Aerial  and  Submarine  Peril  and  Adventure.     By 
HARRY  COLLINGWOOD.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by 
GORDON  BROWNE.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 
In  this  story  the  aim  of  the  author  has  been,  not  only  to  interest  and 

amuse,  but  also  to  stimulate  a  taste  for  scientific  study. 

THE  MISSING  MERCHANTMAN. 

By  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD.    With  6  f  tall- page  Pictures  by  W. 

H.  OVEREND.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

A  fine  Australian  clipper  is  seized  by  the  crew ;  the  passengers  are 
landed  on  one  deserted  island,  the  captain  and  a  junior  officer  on  another  ; 
and  the  young  hero  of  the  story  is  kept  on  board  to  navigate  the  ship, 
which  the  mutineers  refit  as  a  private  vessel.  After  many  adventures 
Ned  succeeded  in  carrying  off  the  ship,  and  in  picking  up  the  captain 
and  the  passengers. 

THE  CONGO  ROVERS 

A  Tale  of  the  Slave  Squadron.      By  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD. 

With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  SCHONBERG.     Crown 

8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  thrilling  tale  is  laid  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa 
among  the  slavers. 

THE  ROVER'S  SECRET 

A  Tale  of  the  Pirate  Cays  and  Lagoons  of  Cuba.     By  HABRY 
COLUNGWOOD.     With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  C. 
SYMONS.    Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 
The  hero  of  "  The  Rover's  Secret,"  a  young  officer  of  the  British  navy, 

narrates  his  peculiar  experiences  in  childhood  and  bis  subsequent  perils 

and  achievements. 

THE  PIRATE  ISLAND 

A  Story  of  the   South  Pacific.      By  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD. 
Illustrated  by  8  full-page  Pictures  by  C.  J.  STANILAND 
and  J.  B.  WELLS.     Olivine  edges.    Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 
This  story  details  the  adventures  of  a  lad  who  was  found  in  his  infancy 
on  board  a  wreck,   and  is  adopted  by  a  fisherman.     Going  to  sea,  he 
forms  one  of  a  party  who,  after  being  burned   out  of  their  ship,  are 
picked  up  by  a  pirate  brig  and  taken  to  the  "Pirate  Island,"  where 
they  have  many  thrilling  adventures. 


BOOKS  FOR  TOVN&  PEOPLE 


BY  GEORGE  MANVILLE  FENN 

'Mr.  Fenn  is  in  the  front  rank  of  writers  for  boys." — Liverpool  Mercury. 


DICK  O'  THE  FENS 

A  Romance  of  the  Great  East  Swamp.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  FRANK  DADD.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

BROWNSMITH'S  BOY 

With  6  page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

YUSSUF  THE  GUIDE 

Being  the  Strange  Story  of  Travels  in  Asia  Minor.  With 
8  full  page  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

THE  GOLDEN  MAGNET 

A  Tale  of  the  Land  of  the  Incas.  With  12  full-page  Pic- 
tures by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

NAT  THE  NATURALIST 

A  Boy's  Adventures  in  the  Eastern  Seas.  Illustrated  by  8 
full-page  Pictures  by  GEORGE  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

QUICKSILVER 

Or,  A  Boy  with  no  Skid  to  his  Wheel.  With  10  full-page 
Illustrations  by  FRANK  DADD.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

DEVON  BOYS 

A  Tale  of  the  North  Shore.  With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

MOTHER  CAREY'S  CHICKEN 

Her  Voyage  to  the  Unknown  Isle.  With  8  full -page  Illus- 
trations. Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

BUNYIP  LAND 

The  Story  of  a  Wild  Journey  in  New  Guinea.  With  6 
full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown 
8vo,  $1.25. 

IN  THE  KING'S  NAME 

Or,  The  Cruise  of  the  Kestrel.  Illustrated  by  12  full-page 
Pictures  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

MENHARDOC 

A  Story  of  Cornish  Nets  and  Mines.  With  6  full-page 
Illustrations  by  C.  J.  STANILAND.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

PATIENCE  WINS 

Or,  War  in  the  Works.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations. 
Crown  8vo.  $1.00. 


BOOKS  FOR  ,YOUNG  PEOPLE 


STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE    BY  SEA   AND   LAND 


PARIS  AT  BAY 

A  Story  of  the  Siege  and  the  Commune.  By  HERBERT 
HAVENS.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  STANLEY 
L.  WOOD.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

THE  TURKISH  AUTOMATON 

A  Tale  of  the  Time  of  Catharine  the  Great  of  Russia.  By 
SHEILA  E.  BRAINE.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by 
WILLIAM  RAINEY,  R.  I.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

A  MYSTERY  OF  THE  PACIFIC 

By  OLIPHANT  SMEATON.  With  8  Illustrations  by  WAL 
PAGET.  12mo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

GOLD,  GOLD,  IN  CARIBOO 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  British  Columbia.  By  CLIVE 
PHILLIPPS-WOLLEY.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by 
G.  C.  HINDLEY.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

HIS  FIRST  KANGAROO 

An  Australian  Story  for  Boys.  By  ARTHUR  FERRES.  With  6 
Illustrations  by  P.  B.  S.  SPENER.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

SOU'WESTER  AND  SWORD 

By  HUGH  St.  LEOER.  With  6  full -page  Illustrations  by 
HAL  HURST.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

WITH  THE  SEA  KINGS 

A  Story  of  the  Days  of  Lord  Nelson.  By  F.  H.  WINDER. 
With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  S.  STACEY. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

THE  WIGWAM  AND  THE  WAR-PATH 

Stories  of  the  Red  Indians.    By  ASCOTT  R.  HOPE.    Illustrated 

by  GORDON  BROWNE.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 
"Mr.  Hope's  '  Wigwam  and  War-path  '  is  notably  good ;  it  gives  a 
very  vivid  picture  of  life  among  the  Indians." — Spectator. 

THE  SEVEN  WISE  SCHOLARS 

By  ASCOTT  R.  HOPE.  Illustrated  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Square 
8vo,  $1.50. 

YOUNG  TRAVELLERS'  TALES 

By  ASCOTT  R.  HOPE.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  J. 
DRAPER.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 


BOOKSFOR  YOUNQ  PEOPLE 


STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE   BY  SEA  AND  LAND 


WULFRIC  THE   WEAPON  THANE 

The  Story  of    the  Danish    Conquest  of  East  Anglia.      By 
CHARLES  W.  WHISTLER.    With  6  Illustrations  by  W.  H. 
MARGETSON.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 
A  tale  in  which  is  set  forth:— How  Wulfric  saved  the  Danish  warrior's 

life ;  how  he  fought  in  the  Viking  ship  ;  how  he  was  accused  falsely ; 

how  he  joined  King  Eadmund,  as  his  weapon-thane;  how  he  fought 

for  the  king  ;  and  how  he  won  the  lady  Osritha  and  brought  her  to  his 

home. 

TOMMY  THE  ADVENTUROUS 

The  Story  of  a  Brother  and  Sister.  By  S.  E.  CARTWRIGHT. 
With  3  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

SILAS  VERNEY 

A  Tale  of  the  Time  of  Charles  II.  By  EDGAR  PICKERING. 
With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE.  Crown 
8vo,  $1.25. 

AN  OCEAN  OUTLAW 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  the  good  ship  Margaret.    By  HUGH 
ST.  LEGER.    With  6  page  Illustrations  by  WM.  RAINEY, 
R.  I.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 
This  is  a  breezy  sea-yarn  in  which  the  reader  is  made  acquainted  with 

Jimmy  Ducks,  a  tiptop  sailor-man  and  a  hero  at  cutlass  work;  and  all 

his  cleverness  was  needed  when  he  and  his  messmates  came  to  tackle 

tke  Ocean  Outlaw. 

THE  LOSS  OF  JOHN  HUMBLE 

What  Led  to  It,  and  what  Came  of  It.  By  G.  NORWAY.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  JOHN  SCHONBERG.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

HAL  HUNGERFORD 

Or,  The  Strange  Adventures  of  a  Boy  Emigrant.    By  J.  R. 

HUTCHINSON.    With  4  full-page  Illustrations  by  STANLEY 

BERKELEY.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

"  There  is  no  question  whatever  as  to  the  spirited  manner  in  which 
the  story  is  told ;  the  death  of  the  mate  of  the  smuggler  by  the  teeth 
of  the  dog  is  especially  effective." — London  Spectator. 

SIR  WALTER'S  WARD 

A  Tale  of  the  Crusades.    By  WILLIAM  EVERARD.    Illustrated 

by  WALTER  PAGET.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

"  A  highly  fascinating  work,  dealing  with  a  period  which  is  always 
suggestive  of  romance  and  deeds  of  daring." — Schoolmaster. 

HUGH  HERBERT'S  INHERITANCE 

By  CAROLINE  AUSTIN.   With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  T. 

GARLAND.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

"  A  story  that  teaches  patience  as  well  as  courage  in  fighting  the 
battles  of  life."— Daily  Chronicle. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


JONES  THE  MYSTERIOUS 

By  CHARLES  EDWARDES.  With  3  Illustrations  by  HAROLD 
COPPING.  12mo,  75  cts. 

A  bright  story  of  English  schoolboy  life,  with  mysterious  happenings 
to  the  hero,  who  has  a  secret  and  weird  "power,"  bestowed  upon  him 
by  his  East  Indian  bearer. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  GUTTA-PERCHA  WILLIE 

The  Working  Genius.  By  GEORGE  MACDONALD.  With  8 
Illustrations  by  ARTHUR  HUGHES.  New  Edition.  12mo, 
75  cts. 


"Hallowe'en"  Ahoy! 

Or,  Lost  on  the  Crozet  Isl- 
ands. By  HUGH  ST.  LEGER. 
With  6  page  Illustrations. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 


The  Search  for  the  Talisman 

r.  By 
HENRY  FRITH.  Illustrated. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 


Famous  Discoveries  by  Sea  and 
Land 

Illustrated.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 


From  the  Clyde  to  the  Jordan 

By  HUGH  CALLAN.  With  30 
Illustrations  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 


Jack  O'Lanthorn 

A  Tale  of  Adventure.  By 
HENRY  FRITH.  Illustrated. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 


Tales  of  Captivity  and  Exile 

By  W.  B.  FORTESCUE.     Illus- 
trated.   Crown  8vo,  $1.00, 


HISTORICAL  STORIES 


A  Thane  of 

Being  a  Story  of  the  Great 
Viking  Raids  into  Somerset. 
By  CHARLES  W.  WHISTLER. 
Illustrated.  Crown  8vo, 
$1.25. 


A  Prisoner  of  War 

A  Story  of  the  Time  of 
Napoleon  Bonaparte.  By 
G.  NORWAY.  With  6  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  ROB- 
ERT BARNES,  A.R.W.S. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


SOME  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 

THE  REIGN  OF  THE  PRINCESS  NASKA 

By  AMELIA  HUTCHISON  STIRLING.  With  55  Illustrations 
by  PAUL  HARDY.  12mo,  $1.00. 

THE  WHISPERING  WINDS 

And   che  Tales  that  they  Told.    By  MARY  H.  DEBENHAM. 
Yv'ith  25  Illustrations  by  PAUL  HARDY.    Crown  8vo,  $1 .00. 
4 '  We  wish  the  winds  would  tell  us  stories  like  these." 

— London  Academy. 

THINGS  WILL  TAKE  A  TURN 

By  BEATRICE  HARRADEN,  author  of  "Ships  that  Pass  in  the 
Night."  Illustrated.  12mo,  $1.00. 

It  is  the  story  of  a  sunny-hearted  child,  Rosebud,  who  assists  her 
grandfather  in  hia  dusty,  second-hand  bookshop. 

NAUGHTY  MISS  BUNNY 

Her  Tricks  and  Troubles.     By  CLARA  MULHOLLAND.     Illus- 
trated.    Crown  8vo,  75  cents. 
"This  naughty  child  is  positively  delightful." — Land  and  Water. 

UNLUCKY 

A  Fragment  of  a  Girl's  Life.  By  CAROLINE  AUSTIN.  Illus- 
trated. Crown  8vo,  75  cents. 

A  touching  story  of  an  unlucky  girl  at  odds  with  her  stepmother. 

LAUGH  AND  LEARN 

The  Easiest  Book  of  Nursery  Lessons  and  Nursery  Games. 
By  JENNETT  HUMPHREYS.  Charmingly  Illustrated.  Square 
8vo,  $1.25. 

"One  of  the  best  books  of  the  kind  imaginable,  full  of  practical  teach- 
ing in  word  and  picture,  and  helping  the  little  ones  pleasantly  along  a 
tight  royal  road  to  learning." — Graphic. 

ADVENTURES  IN  TOYLAND 

By  EDITH  KING  HAI  L.     With  8  Colored  Plates  and  72 
other  Illustrations  by  ALICE  B.  WOODWARD.     Square 
8vo,  $2.00. 
The  story  of  what  a  little  girl  heard  and  saw  in  a  toy  shop. 


BOOKS  FOR'YOUNU  PEOPLE 


SOME  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS, 

A  NEWNHAM  FRIENDSHIP 

By  ALICE  of RONACH.  With  6  Illustrations  by  HAROLD  COP- 
PING. Crown  8vo.  $1.25. 

In  A  Newnham  Friendship  we  have  a  description  of  life  at  Newnham 
College.  Carol  Martin,  a  third-year  student,  befriends  a  "  fresher," 
Elspeth  Macleod,  a  shy,  sensitive  Highland  girl,  who  has  worked  her 
way  from  a  board  school  to  college.  The  enmity  of  a  fellow-student 
and  a  mystery  about  some  parodies  cloud  Elspeth's  happiness  for  a 
time.  But  the  clouds  clear.  Men  students  play  their  part  in  the  story, 
and  the  closing  chapters  describe  the  work  of  some  of  the  girls  as 
"social  settlers "  in  the  east  of  London. 

THREE  FAIR  MAIDS 

Or,  The  Burkes  of  Derrymore.  By  KATHARINE  TYNAN. 
With  12  Illustrations  by  G.  D.  HAMMOND.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges.  $1.50. 

A  story  of  Irish  country  life.  The  three  fair  maids  are  the  daughters 
of  an  impoverished  Irish  lady.  Their  father  had  been  disinherited  by 
his  uncle  for  marrying  against  his  wish.  Sir  Jasper's  disinheritance 
obliged  them  to  give  up  their  great  house,  Derrymore,  but  the  family 
is  ultimately  reconciled  with  Uncle  Peter,  who  makes  Elizabeth  his 
heiress. 

'      QUEEN  CHARLOTTE'S  MAIDENS 

By  SARAH  TYTLER,  author  of  "  Girl  Neighbors."  With  3  Il- 
lustrations by  PAUL  HARDY.  12mo.  75  cts. 

GIRL  NEIGHBORS 

Or,  The  Old  Fashion  and  the  New.  BY  SARAH  TYTLER. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  T.  GARLAND.  Crown 
8vo.  $1.00. 

"  Girl  Neighbors  is  a  pleasant  comedy,  not  so  much  of  errors  as  of 
prejudices  got  rid  of,  Tery  healthy,  very  agreeable,  and  very  well 
written." — London  Spectator. 

THE  HEIRESS  OF  COURTLEROY 

By  ANNE  BEALE.  With  8  page  Illustrations  by  T.  C.  H. 
CASTLE.  Crown  8vo,  cloth ;  elegant,  olivine  edges.  $1.50. 

"  Miss  Anne  Beale  relates  how  the  young  'Heiress  of  Courtleroy' 
had  such  good  influence  over  her  uncle  as  to  win  him  from  his  in- 
tensely selfish  ways  in  regard  to  his  tenants  and  others."— London 
Ouardian. 


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